The Ice Princess of Rikkaidai
by Starian NightZz
Summary: FemRyo. After her best friend died in an accident, Echizen Rika quit tennis for good before she is then pushed into playing tennis with the boys' team...in Rikkaidai. Yukimura/FemRyo
1. Echizen Rika

_Summary:_

_Fem Ryo. After her best friend died in an accident, Echizen Rika quit tennis for good before she is then pushed into playing tennis with the boys' team...in Rikkaidai._

I have this idea from reading a Prince of Tennis fanfic written by Golden Typhoon, though the events in this story will be different. Rika (or Ryoma) will be a tad bit OOC in this story, along with a few characters. This is also a reposted version of the story on my old account.

* * *

**Chapter One: Echizen Rika**

In America, there is one school which was constantly talked about in newspapers, the Internet, tennis magazines and on the radio as well as the television. That school was St Andrews, located in California. And all because of one reason: two of the team captains for their tennis club were tennis prodigies who had been winning tennis championships...for the high schoolers section.

One of their team captains was Echizen Rika, the daughter of the legendary Samurai Nanjirou and winner of four consecutive championships in high school tennis tournaments. The other captain was the best friend and childhood friend of Rika, Kevin Smith, who like her, had also been winning championships in tennis matches way above his age level. And the vice-captain for the tennis team was a girl by the name of Yakiwa Yuki – a childhood friend of both Rika and Kevin.

And it is because of those three that their school was able to participate in tennis championships for the high school section and became the champions for three years in a row ever since the three became the co-captains and vice-captain of St Andrews' tennis club.

However, a tragedy struck one day when the three best friends were on their way home. Kevin had been staying with the Echizen family for about a year at this point as he had sued his father for child abuse and Rika's mother – Echizen Rinko was handling his case as she's an attorney.

There was a car accident and Yakiwa Yuki was the victim.

It was a horrific accident as Yuki was dragged for about three meters before stopping and the car had sped off. Her skull was cracked opened and there were extremely serious injuries on her head. Yuki had died on the spot and both Kevin and Rika were devastated.

The entire tennis club were devastated as well as their vice-captain was so cheery and always cheered them up whenever they lost a match which was rare. She was always doing little things to boost their mood and cheered them up and was also the one to draw up their training menu as St Andrews do not have a coach and was trained by the co-captains and the one vice-captain instead.

That accident made the headlines for over a week and because it was widely known that Yakiwa Yuki was best friends with Echizen Rika, the Samurai's daughter, reporters were always badgering the girl at school, which only worsened her depression over losing her best friend, and for an entire week, Kevin was acting as her chaperone by snarling at anyone who even gets close to her. Finally, Echizen Nanjirou and his wife, as well as his older son, Rika's half-brother pulled Rika out of school and had her home-schooled instead so that she can take her final examinations at home in peace.

Everyone in the Echizen family, even Kevin, and Rika's beloved Himalayan cat were worried about the girl and Karupin could be seen tailing Rika everywhere she went in the Echizen mansion, even staying outside the bathroom when she was taking a bath.

Ryoga who was older than Rika by several years looked like his father and sister with black-green hair and hazel eyes with a tint of gold in it. For all the teasing that he did, the boy truly cares about his sister and wondered if there is anything that he could do to get his baby sister back.

Because when Yuki died, so did Rika's love for tennis, much to her family's dismay and her tennis team's horror. When Yuki was still alive, they often participated into tennis matches as a doubles pair, even though Rika's speciality is singles. And then again, Yuki and Kevin are the only ones who can play doubles with Rika, along with another guy whom they met a few years ago when his family was in America on vacation – Marui Bunta.

Finally, Nanjirou gathered his son, wife as well as Kevin for a family meeting. "It's already been three months now since the accident," said Rinko, worried. "And she hasn't so much as touched a tennis racquet. All she does is stay in her room or listening to that I-Pod of hers."

"Yuki's her best friend, it's expected that she will act that way," said Kevin with a sigh. "I wasn't that close to her, as I'm closer to Rika, but even _I'm _affected, not to mention Rika. Those two did everything together, seeing as how they're both girls and had more in common."

Rinko sighed and turned to Nanjirou. "Nanjirou, shall we go home? Back to Japan, I mean. Rika needs a change of environment in order to heal and being in America reminds her of the car accident. And not to mention that reporters are still badgering her as the accident made the headlines of the newspapers for over a week."

"Japan may be a good idea," said her husband thoughtfully. "She may be able to put the past behind her over there. But Kevin can't come yet, right?"

"Yeah, his case is still pending," said Rinko with a sigh. "Thus, he has to stay here for at least another six months as that's the amount of time that the court had given before the final verdict will be given – when we can officially adopt him."

"I'll stay here then," said Kevin thoughtfully. "It's my final year in St Andrews anyway. The only thing that I'm worried about is Rika, but I'll drop Bunta a mail and get him to check in on her every now and then."

"I'll fly back to America every now and then," said Rinko. "Nanjirou, you'll handle finding a place in Japan whilst I handle our passports. Kevin and Ryoga, go and get our plane tickets."

"Hai."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Two months later, everything was ready for their departure to Japan...only one problem...

"There isn't a SINGLE available house near my old school!" Nanjirou nearly wailed to Rinko one day as the Echizen matriarch was double and triple checking their passports to make sure that they bore the citizenships to ensure that they're able to settle permanently in Japan as well as the plane tickets. "I'll feel safer if chibi-chan's in Seigaku since I'll be able to get my old hag of a coach to watch over her and with Kevin stuck in America and Ryoga attending college in Japan, I can't trust anyone else to watch over her!"

"Isn't there an available house for sale in Kanagawa?" asked Rinko, done with her final checks and turning to her panicking husband as two amused boys watched this scene in the sitting room of the Echizen mansion, sitting on the bottom step of the stairs which leads to the bedrooms upstairs. "It's a pretty nice house from what I saw in the pictures as well – nearly an exact duplicate of our house here."

"Yes, but it's too far from Seigaku!" Nanjirou nearly wailed.

"Have her go to a school in Kanagawa then," said Rinko impatiently. "What's the nearest school to our new house?"

Kevin was the one who answered. "Rikkaidai," he said, and the Echizen couple turned their attention to the blonde who was playing with a tennis ball with one hand by tossing it up and down. He blinked. "What? I was emailing Bunta last week and he goes to that school. Apparently, he lives in Kanagawa as well."

"Well, that settles it then," said Rinko. "Marui-kun will be able to keep an eye on Rika that way, even if Kevin is in America. And he's the one person other than Kevin to be able to make Rika return to tennis...if she ever does." She said the last bit doubtfully.

"By the way..." said Ryoga, turning to Kevin. "How's the team?"

Kevin groaned. "Not good," he said in despair. "Without Rika and..._her, _our strength has dropped by half since Rika _always _take singles one whilst I take singles two and...Yuki takes singles three. And the motivation of the team has severely dropped without Rika and Yuki. We lost badly at the last tournament. For the first time in St Andrews' history ever since we became captains, we lost both doubles matches and I managed to win in singles three, but lost the final match in singles two. We're out of the tournament now."

Ryoga sighed. "For the first time in history, huh?" he mused.

"Yeah."

"Well, we'll be leaving for Japan tomorrow," said Rinko. "Kevin, will you be okay on your own or do you need me to arrange for someone to check in on you every now and then?"

Kevin's face was one of horror. "I'll be JUST fine on my own, Rinko-san, thanks!" he said quickly. "I don't need a babysitter." At Rinko's worried and doubtful look, he hastily replied, "If you're worried, I'll call every night or something so that you know that I'm fine, okay?"

"Alright," said Rinko with a smile.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Their flight was at six in the morning and it was mid-afternoon by the time they arrived at their new house in Kanagawa which was nearly a duplicate of their house in America, only more Japanese traditional-looking, complete with ponds, sakura trees as well as tennis courts and a swimming pool in the backyard.

For the Echizen siblings who had never been in Japan before, this was a change for them and out of the corner of his eye, Ryoga saw a small smile light up his sister's face before it was gone again. Before that accident, she used to smile whenever she was with her friends, despite the name 'Ice Queen' in St Andrews, but now, she doesn't even smile for Kevin or any of her friends now.

Ryoga had already signed up for college and he was also taking a part-time job as the assistant coach of Seigaku's tennis team as Nanjirou had felt that this can improve Ryoga's skills in tennis as well.

"Rika, why don't you go and take a look around Japan to familiarise yourself with this country?" asked Rinko. "We'll do the unpacking."

Rika nodded before heading out of the house.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

For some reason, Rika had ended up alighting at Tokyo train station and her feet had somehow taken her to a place called the Kakinokizaka Tennis Garden where there was a tennis tournament. Rika had watched from the fence as the group registered under the sixteen-year-old category played against each other and Rika nearly snorted as she watched the standard of their play.

None of them will last for more than a minute against herself, Kevin as well as her brother, except for perhaps the winner of the sixteen-year-old category – a blue-haired effeminate boy who looked to be a few years older than her.

Rika then moved to the fourteen-year-old category side and nearly groaned at the terrible play on display there. She can just imagine Yuki's reactions to this play. Fun and cheerful to be with, the girl was a damn perfectionist which explains St Andrews' consecutive wins at tournaments. Her lips twitched as she remembered the first time Yuki was training their tennis team only to have a new member choose to practice his racquet swinging right behind her. Normally, this wouldn't be so bad, but his grip was all wrong.

"_Aaaarrrgghh! You're doing it wrong! Either do it right or go away and leave me alone!"_

"_What? This is how my brother taught me to use the Northern grip."_

"_He's been teaching you the wrong thing! Give me that racquet! __**This **__is the Northern grip!"_

Then, they had been winning competitions ever since they became the captains of the tennis team and became the talk of newspapers and magazines island-wide until that fateful day...

"_Rika!"_

_A shove sent her flying to the ground alongside Kevin._

_A screech of brakes and smashing glass._

"_YUKI!"_

Rika was snapped out of her memories as she felt a hand drop down on her shoulder and she turned to see concerned eyes belonging to the champion of the sixteen-year-old category. "Are you okay, Miss?" he asked in a concerned voice.

"Y-Yeah," muttered Rika. "I'm just leaving."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was late evening by the time Rika decided to board the train for home.

The train was extremely crowded and Rika had to remain standing all the way as she read a tennis magazine that she had brought at the news stand earlier at the train station. A teen brushed past her just then, bumping into her shoulder and nearly causing her to fall, only for someone to grab hold of her arm, steadying her.

"T-Thank you," muttered Rika, staring into concerned turquoise eyes as the owner released her arm, allowing her to steadying herself.

The boy smiled gently. "We meet again," he said. "It must be Fate."

Rika couldn't help smiling back at him. "Maybe," she said, closing the tennis magazine that she was reading earlier. "I'm Echizen Rika. You are?"

"Yukimura," said the boy. "Yukimura Seiichi." He then noticed the magazine that Rika was holding and smiled. "You play tennis?"

"Y-Yeah," said Rika, managing a weak smile. "I was captain of my team when I was in America."

Yukimura's eyes widened a slight fraction before smiling slightly. "What a coincidence," he said. "I'm the captain of my team too."

"Huh?"

Yukimura laughed. "I know. Everyone tells me that I look too fragile and gentle to be the captain of a tennis team," he said. "I didn't play for about a year as I had to undergo an operation for Guillain-Barre Syndrome at the end of last year, but my teammates still insisted on keeping me as captain."

"That's a nice team that you got there," said Rika with a wistful smile.

"I guess," said Yukimura with a smile.

"What team are you captain of?" asked Rika.

"Rika—"

"_Kanagawa station." _A voice said over the intercom just then. _"Kanagawa station."_

"Oops," said Yukimura. "This is my stop."

And he blinked as Rika followed him out of the train as well as the train doors shut behind them before leaving the station. Rika smiled as she looked at him. "This is my stop as well," she said. "I've just moved here." She then looked at Yukimura. "What team are you captain of again?"

"Rika—"

"Oi!" came a shout which was _extremely _familiar to Rika. "'Mura! You're late!"

"Sorry, sorry!" said Yukimura sheepishly as he turned towards the owner of the voice as a group of teenage boys in casual clothing walked up to him, a certain redhead chewing on a bubblegum among them.

The redhead blinked as he noticed Rika. "EH?! RIKA?!"

Rika blinked rapidly. "B-Bunta?! What are you doing here?!"

The rest of the boys blinked and Yukimura blinked rapidly in confusion, looking from one to the other. "You two..." He began. "...know each other?"

Marui blinked before nodding. "Of course we knew each other," he said. "We're childhood friends. I met her in America several years back when my family was there on vacation and we've been keeping in contact ever since."

"Marui. Mind introducing?" asked a purple-haired teen with glasses on.

"Oh. This is Echizen Rika," said Marui, indicating towards Rika.

"Echizen?" muttered a boy wearing a cap with a serious face on. "Where have I heard that name before?"

"Ah!" A curly-haired boy suddenly cried out. "Sanada-fukubuchou, don't you remember? That legendary tennis player featured in Monthly Pro Tennis several times in the past! What's his name again? Samurai...Samurai...Samurai Nanjirou! That's it!" He looked towards Rika. "How are you related to him?"

"He's my father," said Rika in a deadpanned voice. "And unlike contrary belief, he is a perverted old man to which his perverted magazines are more important to him than his life."

"Eh?!" whimpered that same boy, all impressions of his idol shattering like china. "Marui-sempai..."

Marui nodded sadly. "Unfortunately, Rika is right," he said. "I've met Nanjirou-san once when I met Rika and her friends in America. He's a terrific tennis player, I give you that, but it's his fetish for his reading material that lowers my opinion of him."

"You two seemed to be awfully close," said a silver haired teen with spiky silver hair with a short ponytail. "Are you...Marui's girlfriend?"

Rika nearly choked on empty air and Marui's expression was nearly amusing to watch as his eyes looked as if it would pop out of it's sockets anytime soon.

"NO!" They both cried as one. "She's just a good friend!" cried Marui, pointing at Rika.

"I wouldn't go out with him even if you paid me!" growled Rika, glaring at Marui.

"What's that supposed to mean?" demanded Marui and the tennis boys fought hard to restrain their laughter and even Sanada had a slight smirk on his face.

"And you are?" asked Rika, regaining her composure, turning towards the tennis boys. "I only know Bunta and Yukimura-san here."

"Oh, sorry," said the purple-haired teen apologetically. "I'm Yagyuu Hiroshi. This guy over here is Niou Masaharu." The silver haired guy nodded with a grin. "This here is Kuwahara Jackal." A dark-skinned, skinned-headed male nodded to her politely. "This guy here is Yanagi Renji." A guy with his eyes closed nodded politely to her. "This is Sanada Genichirou and the guy next to him is Kirihara Akaya." The guy with the cap nodded to her politely whilst the curly-haired male grinned and waved to her slightly.

"Yo!"

"By the way," said Marui, his expression turning serious. "Rika. I received a mail from Kevin about two months back. He told me what happened."

Rika's expression turned serious. "And?"

"You're going to Rikkaidai as well, right? Kevin told me about it and that your house is quite near mine."

The Rikkaidai boys blinked before looking from one to the other, looking quite confused.

"It's none of your concern, Bunta," said Rika stubbornly.

Marui sighed with exasperation, popping his bubblegum. "It _becomes _my concern if it concerns my friends," he said patiently. "Kevin can't come to Japan yet because his case is still pending and he _specifically_ left instructions that he wanted me to keep an eye on you! And he was saying something about you quitting tennis." He deadpanned and at the mention of the word 'tennis', it quirked the entire tennis club's interest, even the stoic Sanada, and the remaining seven teens tried to make themselves as invisible as possible as this conversation was getting interesting. "Mind explaining?"

"You know why," said Rika.

Marui nearly groaned. "Damn it, Rika! What do you think that _she_ will say if she knew how you're acting now?! She will be disappointed! Why do you think that she even takes up tennis in the first place?! It's because of you!" He sighed. "Besides, I remember reading somewhere about a rule that allows girls to play with boys in tournaments in Japan. Right, Sanada?"

Sanada nodded, looking quite curious.

"I...have no wish to return to tennis," said Rika, looking away from Marui. "I have to go."

"Rika! Wait!" Marui called out, but the girl merely increased her speed and the redhead sighed. "That girl... She's still as stubborn as before."

"Marui," said Yukimura. "Do you mind explaining what that's all about?"

The eyes of every tennis player were on Marui and he sighed, popping his bubblegum. "This isn't my place to tell," he said. "This is Rika's to tell. I just can say one thing though. That girl's an excellent player and she's got talent. If we can manage to get her to join the tennis club, she will be an excellent addition to our club."

Sanada frowned. "How good is she exactly?"

"Well..." Marui frowned. "I don't know really, but she's the captain of her tennis team when she's in America and she brought her school to participate in matches against high schoolers when she's in elementary school and she won four consecutive championships in tournaments repeatedly."

"EH?!" The rest of the club nearly cried and Sanada blinked whilst Yukimura looked surprised.

"She's _that_ good, Marui?" asked his doubles partner, Jackal, in interest. "That's a first. Most girls don't take tennis seriously nowadays."

Marui nodded. "I'm not sure if she's up to Rikkaidai's level though, seriously..." he muttered. "What with her not playing for nearly six months..." He groaned. "But I promised Kevin to get her back into tennis and to keep an eye on her... How troublesome."

Yanagi frowned. "Get her back to tennis, you say," he said. "She quit the sport?"

"Technically, yes," said Marui with a nod. "But tennis is still in her heart. She loves that sport better than anything else out there. But she's stubborn. I'm only one of the few that can make her change her mind, if she don't even listen to her own family."

"You say that she's a new student?" said Yukimura slowly and Marui nodded. "She's a freshman?"

"Yeah," said Marui with a nod. "Why are you asking?"

Yukimura had a faint hint of a smirk on his face. "I have a plan to get her to play tennis again," he said. "I know that freshmen are not allowed on the regulars' team, but if she's as good as you say she is, I'll welcome her as she'll be a welcome addition. All freshmen are supposed to choose clubs to participate in during their time in Rikkaidai anyway."

"That's rare," said Yagyuu with a blink. "You hardly do things like that for new students."

Yukimura chuckled. "She's interesting," he said. "But we have to get the Principal's permission."


	2. Rikkaidai

**Chapter Two: Rikkaidai**

Rika stayed up that night talking to Kevin on the phone. It was currently night time in Japan, but daytime in America, and as such, Kevin was in school.

"I'm tired, Kevin," said Rika, placing her hand over her eyes, lying on her bed. "I don't want to think about tennis."

There was light laughter over the phone. _"Because tennis reminds you of her?" _he asked with a slight cheerful tone. He was the one person that can talk about Yuki around Rika without her breaking down. _"I guess so. We played tennis together ever since we first started...you, me and Yuki."_

"I...want to return to tennis," said Rika. "But I can't bring myself to. Whenever I see a tennis racquet or a ball, it reminds me of Yuki."

There was a sigh. _"You have to try, Rika," _said Kevin. _"She wouldn't want to see you moping about like that as well. Tomorrow's your first day of school, right?"_

"Yeah," said Rika. "How's the team?"

"_We've gotten a sponsor for the team ever since you moved to Japan," _said Kevin. _"The principal called me into his office this morning and told me about it. The Tennis Association had all along been interested in the tennis team of St Andrews as we are the first elementary school out there to play against high schoolers and win championships for the high schoolers' category. I'll be moving into the middle school classes of St Andrews soon until I can get to Japan."_

Unlike most schools, St Andrews is an elementary school, middle school as well as high school all combined into one. Most students from St Andrews usually choose to pursue their middle school as well as high school years in the same school. As such, the sports clubs in the school are usually mixed with students of all ages.

"What are the changes made?"

"_Most of the team members left because of Yuki's death and you leaving," _said Kevin. _"The only ones who stayed are Tom and Terri Griffy as well as Billy Cassidy. I am still the captain of the team, but the Tennis Association had sent a coach. Richard Baker is his name."_

Rika frowned. "Only three members stayed?"

"_Yeah. Yuki's death is a big blow to them as well," _said Kevin. _"But we have some new members. Some of them are from the high school section. Arnold Ignashov is a new transfer student who had just enrolled into St Andrews. He's one of the high schoolers. Another is Bobby Max."_

Rika frowned. "I think I've heard of him," she said. "Isn't he the one who had caused the football team to be disqualified from the tournament last year because of violence? He has a nickname, I recall. The Beast Bulldozer or something."

"_Yeah. That's him, alright," _said Kevin. _"He's a sophomore in the high school section – same class as Arnold. He has a short temper which explains him being banned from most of the sports clubs in the school. But he's good. His style of tennis is Sporty Tennis – moves taken from other sports like football, basketball, volleyball, etc. Like someone else we know."_

Rika sighed. "Yuki..."

"_Yeah," _said Kevin. _"Moving on, we have a new player as well who is Billy's new doubles partner after Alex quit the club. His name is Michael Lee."_

"Asian?"

"_Yeah," _said Kevin. _"He's just immigrated to America. He's Chinese, which explains his name. He's in the same class as Billy and myself. Other than Terri, the rest of the team are males."_

"I see..." said Rika with a sigh. "Seems like you've got a lot of work cut out for you. A new coach and sponsor means a totally different management system. You and the others have to get used to it."

"_I know," _said Kevin. _"I'll chat with you sometime, okay? Break's over and it's time to get back to class."_

"Okay."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was a beautiful Monday morning.

The sun was shining and the birds were singing and Echizen Rika was asleep in bed. But not for long, however, as her human alarm clock in the form of Echizen Ryoga opened her bedroom door. Karupin, Rika's beloved cat opened his eyes with a loud yawn and meowed before leaping off his mistress's bed and staying in a corner, his tail swishing to and fro as Ryoga proceeded to wake his sister up.

Ryoga grinned, already dressed. He took a deep breath in and...

"RISE AND SHINE, CHIBISUKE!"

Rika fell out of bed with a yelp, tangled up in a mass of blankets before managing to scramble out and glared at her brother. "What's the big idea?!"

"You don't want to be late for your first day of school, do you?" said Ryoga with a grin. "Even if Rikkaidai is only a block away from here."

Rika grumbled. "Fine! Just get out of my room whilst I get changed."

**

* * *

**Down in the kitchen, Echizen Rinko and Meino Nanako were cooking breakfast for the rest of the family before someone sounded the doorbell and Ryoga who was already downstairs raised one eyebrow, biting on a bit of toast.

"Who could it be?" he wondered as he headed to the door and opened it only to see a redheaded teen dressed in a white collared shirt with a dark green and white tie and navy blue trousers with a satchel hung across his chest with a tennis bag slung over one shoulder. Ryoga blinked. "Marui-kun?"

"Konichiwa, Ryoga-san," said Marui politely. "Rika told me that she's living here, so I thought that I should take her to school on her first day. Besides, Kevin told me that he'll kill me if anything happens to her, though I doubt that'll happen...that girl's too stubborn and strong-willed."

Ryoga grinned. "Come in," he said, letting Marui to enter the house. "Kevin told me that you just lived a street away from us. You have to wait for a moment, I'm afraid. Rika's just woken up."

Marui blinked. "She overslept?" he muttered. "That's a first."

"Apparently, she was on the phone with Kevin all night long last night," said Ryoga. "Did you say anything to her when she met you yesterday?"

"Er...something about tennis?" squeaked Marui.

Ryoga sighed. "Please help her, Marui-kun," he said. "Get her back into tennis. It's only through tennis that she can heal."

"Hai," said Marui solemnly.

"Morning," said a grumpy voice and both males blinked and turned towards the stairs to see a grumpy and DEFINITELY not happy Rika walking down the stairs, her school satchel slung across her chest, dressed in her Rikkaidai uniform – a white collared blouse with a red tie tied in a butterfly knot around the collar and a black and white checkered mini-skirt.

Karupin was leaping down the stairs one at a time, close to Rika's heels before he meowed and went towards Nanako who was giving the Himalayan cat his breakfast.

"Not a morning person, are you?" said Marui, amused and Rika rolled her eyes, biting into a bit of toast.

"What gives you that idea?" she muttered sarcastically as she went to a cabinet and took out a pair of red and white roller blades. "Let's go. I don't want to be late for school on my first day. Mom, niisan, I'm leaving now."

"Be careful."

"Hai."

**

* * *

**Once on the streets, Rika was rollerblading to school whilst Marui was on his bike which he had parked outside the Echizen residence when he had came to their house earlier that morning. It was a beautiful day and the sakura flowers are still full in bloom.

A few curious students on their way to school stared at Marui, as being one of Rikkaidai's tennis regulars, he was quite popular in school and it wasn't unusual to see him walking to school with one of the tennis regulars, especially since he's in the same class as Yagyuu and Jackal, but this is definitely a first to see him on the way to school with an unknown freshman girl.

One of Rikkaidai's seven wonders of the school is the fact that not one of the tennis regulars had a girlfriend yet. Marui winced as he caught sight of several jealous and angry looks cast by a few sophomore and senior girls at Rika. He knew that Rika can look after herself and she can defend herself easily since Kevin had taught her self-defense for a time since America is quite a dangerous country, but he also knew what things that certain jealous Rikkaidai girls will do if they saw anyone getting close to a member of the tennis club.

"What's your homeroom?" asked Marui.

"1-5," answered Rika. "It's club selection today as well, right?"

Marui nodded. "Have you decided what club you're going to enter?" he asked, hoping for a chance to drag Rika down to the tennis courts later during the three hour break for the freshmen to choose their clubs.

"Not yet," said Rika and Marui sighed inwardly. "I was on the phone with Kevin last night." Marui perked up. "He was telling me about the tennis club in St Andrews. I...want to return to tennis as well. But I'm afraid. Tennis reminds me of Yuki. We always trained together from the start when we started playing tennis."

"You know," said Marui, grinning slightly. "When I was in America several years ago, I met a certain tennis player there who didn't give up on things until she'd accomplished it. What were those words that she said to me again? 'When there's a will, there's a way. And if you give up, it means that everything's over.'" He grinned as he looked at Rika who was looking away from him pointedly. "Now, who is that girl again?"

"I understand!" grumbled Rika. "We'll see about it later."

They were nearing the school now and both friends could see several Rikkaidai students filing into the school, with the tennis regulars waiting at the front gate of the school – something which they always did before heading for class since tennis players have a free period before break and a free first period which they used for training.

Niou caught sight of Marui and Rika both and grinned, waving to them as they headed towards them. "Marui, you're late!"

"Sorry!" laughed Marui. "I had to go and get her." And he pointed at Rika who scowled back at him.

There was a loud meow just then and the eight boys and one girl turned to see a cat leapt off the school wall with a dog hot on its heels. Not so bad. Except that they happen to be in Rika's path who couldn't stop in time on her rollerblades.

"Oi, Rika!" Marui reached out a hand to steady her whilst on his bike, but missed, seeing as how he had to swerve to avoid the shrieking cat and growling dog whilst on his bike.

Just as it seems that Rika was going to meet with the pavement, a hand shot out and grabbed her arm, and by instinct, Rika grabbed onto said arm with her other hand, bringing herself to a stop. She sighed in relief before blinking and looking up to look into the amused eyes of Yukimura Seiichi and Rika released his arm.

"Thank you," she muttered, ignoring Marui's snickers or the rest of the tennis team's amused expressions. "I have to be going."

"Rika, do you have your schedule?" Marui called out before Rika could leave.

"Yeah," said Rika, turning towards Marui. "Why?"

"Let's meet for lunch later," said Marui. "Since knowing you, since you're known as the 'Ice Queen' back in California, you're not very sociable unless said people interest you. We'll meet under the sakura tree near the back of the school which is near the tennis courts." He winked. "Not many people go there."

Rika sighed. "Fine," she said. "I have to go now."

Marui nodded before she moved towards the school and entered it. Marui grinned wickedly, looking at Yukimura, along with the rest of the tennis club. "Sooo..." drawled Marui. "Knight to the rescue, huh, 'Mura?"

"Come on, we have morning practice," said Yukimura, walking towards the direction of the tennis courts faster than necessary. "Even if it's the first day of school, it doesn't mean that you get to skip training."

"Hai," chorused the rest of the regulars before tagging after their captain.

"And Marui, fifty laps around the courts before a practice match with Genichirou."

Marui gaped. "E-Eh?!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_In Rikkaidai:_

"Class 1-5, Class 1-5..." muttered Rika to herself, holding her schedule in one hand whilst looking up at the plaques above the classroom doors for the freshmen level, walking down the corridor until she found her classroom. "Found it!"

She slid opened the door and entered the classroom and was surprised to see that it was nearly empty, save for two boys sitting at the back of the class, one of them taking the window seat, with the other taking a seat beside him. Rika shrugged before heading towards the back of the classroom as well and taking a seat right in front of them.

Both boys blinked before one of them coughed. "Ano..."

Rika turned. "Hai?"

"You are?" asked the one who had spoken earlier. He had hazel-brown hair and blue eyes. "I'm Shinderui Sora. This is my friend, Satochi Riku." He indicated towards his friend who had silver hair with a few bangs covering his forehead with cerulean-blue eyes.

"I'm Echizen Rika," said Rika. "You two knew each other beforehand?"

"Yeah," said Sora with a grin. "We've been friends since kindergarten. It's just a stroke of luck that we are together in the same class. Echizen, you?"

"Just call me Rika," said Rika. "I've just moved to Japan. Before that, I lived in America."

"I see..." said Riku before students started filing in the classroom and they returned to their seats.

The first day was mostly introductions and a brief outline of what they're going to study that year as well as explanations about the school. Each class in Rikkaidai had a 'point system'. In other words, points or order marks as it was called here were given or deducted depending on the performance of the students in the class. Every detention given to each student is a two point deduction whilst every piece of homework returned is a one point deduction. You gain points in clubs if you participate in tournaments or competitions like the music recital or tournaments for the sports clubs. At the end of each year, the points for each class is calculated and any class that has fallen short of two hundred points will have to do community work for the school whilst the class with the most points in each year level will be given a free holiday paid by the school to any place that they wanted to go.

Finally...

"Alright," said Misaki-sensei, their homeroom teacher. "As you all knew, in Rikkaidai, all students are required to join at least one club during their time here. We will be having a club selection day during break time later which will be three hours long for you to select your clubs. I hope that you'll be happy in whatever clubs that you'll be choosing." The bell rang for break just then. "Class dismissed."

And the students filed out of the classroom slowly, chatting all the while. "Ne Rika," said Sora as they walked out of the classroom – somehow, the two boys and one girl had bonded during their short time knowing each other and Rika found herself giving a few small smiles which only lasted a moment. "What club are you going to join?"

"I don't know," said Rika with a shrug, her bento covered with a blue checkered cloth in one hand. The two boys had bentos in their hands as well. "What about you?"

"Me?" blinked Riku before frowning a little. "I'm going to try out for the music club...for violin."

"Not basketball, Riku?" asked Sora with surprise. "You're pretty good when we're in elementary school. You even made it as a regular and as captain."

"No. I want to try my hand at music for a change," said Riku with a charming smile which caused all freshmen girls present to swoon which he ignored. Apparently, during their short time in school, Riku, Sora as well as Rika had gotten the unwanted attention by both boys and girls and if any of them three had been noticing, they had somehow gotten fan clubs dedicated to them. "Sora, what about you?"

"Me?" blinked Sora. "Hmm...maybe the photography club." He mumbled. "Let's go and sign up first before we have lunch."

"Okay."

And so, their first stop is the music room which was handled by a pretty brown-haired teacher who tested Riku's standard with the violin first and everyone present in the room – even the seniors and sophomores were impressed by Riku's talent with the violin and the teacher – Mikaki-sensei was delighted to have such a talented student in the club.

Next stop, the photography club. Apparently, that club had very few members and Sora had no problem getting in as the club president – a senior by the name of Yamazaki Sentarou was desperate for new members. And because the photography club also assist the magazine club who printed the school's magazines and newsletters with the photos, Sora was immediately saddled with the task of photographing the pictures of the tennis club's matches as that club was the most famous in the school and Sora was even given a camera of his own by Yamazaki.

Finally...the three freshmen decided to go for lunch.

"Where should we eat?" asked Sora.

"I'm meeting my friend for lunch," said Rika. "Why don't you come along?"

"Okay."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

True enough, Marui was by the place where he had told Rika to meet him at...along with his classmates and best friends – Kuwahara Jackal and Yagyuu Hiroshi as well as Niou Masaharu who shared a few classes with them. Kirihara Akaya was also with them.

Marui was lying on the grass, out of breath. They had just finished up their training which had ended earlier thanks to the club selection. Rika walked up to the group, one eyebrow raised with the two boys behind her.

"Bunta?"

Marui cracked opened one eye and sat up. "Oh. Rika. You're here," he said, his ever-lasting bubblegum in his mouth. "These two are?"

"My classmates," said Rika. "Satochi Riku and Shinderui Sora."

"N-Nice to meet you, sempai-tachi," said Sora nervously.

"Nice to meet you too," said Yagyuu, pushing his glasses up with his middle finger. "Take a seat. Don't worry, no one will come here. Everyone knew that the regulars from the tennis team always eat here."

"What happened to you?" asked Rika, staring at Bunta as they settled down on the grass. "Even with all your sugar consumption, you're still tired?"

Niou and Kirihara snickered and Yagyuu and Jackal could not help but smile a little at their memory of their training that morning and just now. "Yukimura punished him with laps and a practice match with Sanada and himself for teasing him," said Niou with an evil grin. "This is the first time I saw Marui so wiped out."

"Sooo..." said Marui, looking at Rika. "Do you want to try out for the tennis team?"

"No."

"Awww! Come on!" whined Marui. "You said yourself that you wanted to go back to tennis. And Sanada and Yukimura said that if you can impress them enough, they'll ask the principal for permission for you to play with the boys' team since it's legal. Just try out later!"

Rika sighed, amusing Sora and Riku both. "If I try out later, will it shut you up?" she asked and Marui nodded. "Fine. But I don't have a racquet with me."

"No problem," said Yagyuu with a smirk. "We can loan you one of ours. Have you two boys joined your clubs yet?"

"Yeah. We've just signed up," said Riku. "I'm in the music club whilst Sora is with the photography club."

"By the way..." said Kirihara with a grin. "I heard some pretty interesting rumours earlier with my female classmates who were in the Student Council club."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Something about three certain freshmen in class 1-5 who had fan clubs dedicated to them in less than a day of being in school. Now, I wonder who could it be?" He grinned, looking at Rika, Sora and Riku who ignored him pointedly and ate their bento.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Later, by the tennis courts:_

"Whoa...there sure are a lot of people," said Sora, amazed at the long line of students queuing up in front of a table, behind which sat a bored-to-hell tennis club member who is taking down names for all those wanting to join the club.

"Well, the tennis club's famous," said Riku with a chuckle. "With their three consecutive wins at the Kantou Tournament as well as the Nationals...yep. But Rika..." He turned towards the girl. "You sure that you're going to try out?"

Rika sighed. "If I don't try out, Bunta will never shut up about it," she said. "And I know him. He'll follow me all day until he gets me to say yes. And he lives just a street away from me."

"Oh."

"Hey." A voice caused the three freshmen to turn around to see two tennis club members behind them, one of them holding a tennis racquet. "Did I hear you say something about trying out for the tennis club?"

"And what if I did?" said Rika coldly. Somehow, something about this guy rubs her up the wrong way. Riku narrowed his eyes and so did Sora. Even though they have only known Rika for a few hours, they felt as if they were old friends as they felt comfortable with the girl since she's not like other girls.

The speaker smirked. "I like your spunk, missy," he said. "How about this? Let's have a match now in the courts. If you win, I'll take you to the captain. If I win, let's go on a date."

Rika's eye twitched dangerously. She had quite enough of fan boys since she had a whole club of them in America and less than a few hours ago which made up nearly her entire year level as well as a few from the sophomore level, save for a few boys – among which are Sora and Riku.

"Fine, let's play," said Rika coldly. "But I won't lose to you. One of you has to loan me a racquet since I don't have one with me right now."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The regular team were all gathered by the sinks, cooling themselves down when they noticed some commotion happening inside the courts and turned towards the courts to see that a match was going on which had invited quite a crowd, which seemed to be nearly half the school.

Marui frowned as he recognised that blackish-green hair of one of the players. "Is that...Rika?" he mused.

Yanagi smiled. "Shall we go and take a look? We can then see if she is truly as good as you said she is, Marui."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"What a loser," muttered Rika, walking off the courts, leaving a severely traumatised sophomore behind on the ground, bleating like a sheep who seemed to be in severe need of some psychological treatment for a week or so.

The match only lasted a mere three minutes – the points mostly won with Twist Serves. And Rika had easily won without losing a single point, making the score 6-0.

"Unbelievable."

"She beat Kaitou-kun!"

"He's one of the best tennis players that we have, even though he isn't a regular! And she just beat him in three minutes!"

There was the sound of clapping just then and everyone present – even the tennis club members as well as Sora and Riku – both whom had been waiting and watching Rika's game – turned towards the source of the sound only to see the entire tennis regular team standing by the fence, Yukimura among them, a smile on his face.

"It's the captain, Yukimura-buchou!"

"Well, now I'm convinced," said Yukimura with a smile. "You're definitely good enough to try out as a regular. And I'm sure that everyone thinks the same too. Right?"

The entire regular team nodded, even the stoic Sanada.

Marui grinned. "I told you that you can do it," he said.

"You mean you make me do it under blackmail." Rika deadpanned and everyone present sweat dropped. "But are girls even allowed to play with the boys, even if the Tennis Association has a rule about that?"

"I've given my permission," said a deep voice and everyone present turned to see a man dressed in a business suit standing not far away from them, a smile on his face. "Echizen Rika-san, right?" Rika nodded. "I'll make an exception for you. Do your best."

Marui smiled as he looked up at the sky. _'I told you that I can handle this, Kevin,' _he thought.

And far away in California, Kevin Smith sneezed.


	3. Ice Princess versus Demon

**Chapter Three: Ice Princess versus Demon**

It was a beautiful day in Rikkaidai Middle High. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and plenty of tennis balls were flying at Marui Bunta's head…whoops, that's not good.

"W-Wait!" croaked Marui as he ran and hid behind an amused Yagyuu Hiroshi, trying to avoid the tennis balls that Rika was flinging at his head, and surprisingly, the girl had remarkably good aim. Outside the tennis courts near the fence was Shinderui Sora who was watching with a grin. Riku wasn't present as he had club practice with the music club. It's not every day that you see a senior hiding from a freshman, after all.

Rika breathed heavily, glaring at Marui as she stomped up to him and Yagyuu wisely stepped out of the way. No one is suicidal enough to go up against an enraged female, even if said female is a freshman.

"Marui Bunta," said Rika dangerously, shoving a piece of paper beneath Marui's nose. "What the hell is this?"

Marui squeaked. "Erm…permission from BOTH the principal as well as the Tennis Association to allow you to play with the boys?"

Rika's eye twitched. "I'll just pretend that I never saw it then," she said. "I'll deny it all the way to my grave."

This argument outside the courts had invited a whole crowd of amused tennis players by now – among which consisted of the regulars. Sora could not help grinning as he watched Marui twitch nervously beneath Rika's glare. Niou Masaharu grinned evilly as he watched Marui twitched nervously beneath Rika's venomous glare and even Sanada looked a tad bit amused.

"Should we save Marui-sempai?" asked Kirihara, pointing at Marui who was trying to explain things to a pissed off Rika.

Jackal looked from Marui to Rika and to the dozens of tennis balls on the floor – who knows where Rika had gotten it – and blinked. "No thanks," he said. "I value my life, thanks."

The rest of the regulars nodded to themselves.

"No means no, Bunta!" argued Rika. "You won't get me to play even with blackmail!"

Marui sighed. "Then do you _want _me to tell Kevin about this?" he asked. "And you know as well as I do that he'll fly here immediately once he caught wind of it, forbidden or not. He's coming to Japan in another six months, isn't he?"

Silence.

"…you wouldn't…" she mumbled.

"Try me," said Marui triumphantly.

"Fine!" said Rika with exasperation. "You and niisan are the same! You're always picking on me!"

"Er…" stammered Marui as many curious eyes were looking towards their direction and there were several mutterings of 'shameless guys who are bullying girls'. "Oh, come on! You're a pretty good player! Remember all those awards, medals and trophies that you used to win with—"

Rika's face darkened considerably and Marui suddenly realised what he's saying and wished that he had kept his big mouth shut. "S-Sorry, Rika," he stammered. "I didn't mean—"

"It's alright," said Rika. "What do I have to do to be a regular?"

Marui turned towards Yukimura who had came towards them with the rest of the regulars just then, most of them grinning. Seems like only Marui can change Rika's mind about tennis and she seems to be the only one who can control him.

"Score at least five games against a regular," said Sanada. "Your opponent will be…" He swept an eye over the regulars before stopping on a certain sophomore. "Akaya."

"Huh?!" Kirihara nearly cried. "You want me to play against her?!"

"Don't underestimate her, Akaya," said Marui with a wink. "You'll be in a world of pain."

Rika sighed and looked at Kirihara. "Let's have a good match," she said and Kirihara nodded sheepishly.

**

* * *

**_Tennis courts:_

The regulars were all gathered by the fence outside the tennis courts where Kirihara and Rika will be having their match to determine Rika's position in the regulars. A crowd of students which seemed to be nearly half the school had gathered by then. Sora, Rika's classmate and friend was by the regulars, a camera in his hands. The boy was a bit of a sports person himself and was widely interested in all kinds of sports, tennis especially.

"Okay…the Ice Princess versus the Demon of Rikkaidai," said Marui with a whistle, his hands behind his head. "This is going to be good."

Everyone was puzzled. "'Ice Princess'?" They echoed.

Marui blinked. "Oh. That is what the school is calling her since she turned every single boy down who had asked her out for dates in a not-so-kind way," he said with a grin. He then turned back towards the courts. "It's starting."

"Which?" asked Kirihara.

"Smooth."

The racket fell on the smooth side.

"Service."

"End."

They then parted to stand on their positions. The referee – some random third year – looked at both players to ensure that they're both ready. "One set match," he said. "Kirihara Akaya versus Echizen Rika. Echizen to serve."

Rika looked at Kirihara on the opposite side of the court who was swaying slightly from side to side and smiled inwardly. She was holding her racquet in her right hand, only intending to gauge Kirihara's ability first before playing seriously. She then threw the ball up in the air and served and the match began.

**

* * *

**"Game, Kirihara. 3-all," called the referee. "Change courts!"

Kirihara was breathing heavily as they switched courts. So far, this was the seventh game and it had already taken about half-an-hour, the longest match for any Rikkaidai regular. The regulars were impressed. Not many people can push Kirihara to his limits like this.

The rally between Kirihara and Rika began again and as Rika returned the ball to Kirihara, she then ran up to the net before Kirihara narrowed his eyes and hit it to the opposite side of the court before Rika smirked – she was anticipating this before switching her racquet to her left hand and returned the ball.

"30-15!"

Kirihara blinked rapidly whilst Marui smirked. "Oh yeah," he said. "I forgot that Rika is a Nitouryuu player."

"Before she quit?" asked Jackal and Marui nodded.

"She's a left hander," he said. "But she only uses her left hand when she gets serious. Before that, she was only gauging Akaya's ability and play style before counter attacking. That's her style of tennis."

Kirihara blinked. And blinked again. "You're a lefty?" he asked and Rika nodded. Kirihara smirked. "Interesting."

"You're not bad either, Kirihara-sempai," said Rika, switching her racquet to her right hand. "It's my turn to serve."

She got in position before throwing the ball up in the air and served it. The ball landed in front of Kirihara who got ready to return it, but the ball spin on it's spot before bouncing up towards the direction of Kirihara's face who yelped and dodged out of the way.

"4-40-15!"

"What…the…hell?" stammered Kirihara stupidly, blinking. "Twist Serve?"

Niou whistled. "Not bad at all," he said. "Twist Serve…and a quite polished one as well."

"Yeah," agreed Sanada. "But Akaya hasn't showed all his skills yet."

"So has Rika," said Marui and everyone turned towards him. Marui smirked. "What are you going to do, Rika?"

"Game, Echizen. 4-3. Change courts!"

"Just one more game and she'll get on the regulars," remarked Yagyuu, impressed. "She's good."

Everyone nodded.

Kirihara grinned mischievously as he got ready to serve. _'Twist Serve, huh?' _he thought. _'Not bad, Rika-san. This is for before.'_

And he served the ball before said ball spun on the court and flying upwards, missing Rika's face by a fair inch. Mutterings began to sound and Rika nodded to herself, looking at the spot where the ball had landed.

Kirihara frowned. "You let me score on purpose, didn't you?" he asked and Rika nodded. "Why?"

"I was wondering when you are going to use that serve," said Rika, tapping her racquet on her shoulder. "Speed, sixty percent. Power, eighty percent. Accuracy, eighty-five percent." She smiled at Kirihara's look of astonishment. "Did I get that right?"

"Somehow…" muttered Niou. "She reminds me of someone that we know." And the eyes of all regulars present went towards their data master – Yanagi Renji.

Marui laughed. "Not exactly," he said. "Rika is not a data specialist. If I have to put it in words, she's an analyzer. She's extremely observant, even noticing things that most people won't notice. She can easily analyze a ball's speed, power, accuracy, etc, just by seeing it once. She can then develop a counter for that shot on the spot. She can easily seal away special moves like that." Marui smirked. "That's her style of tennis."

Yanagi nodded, smiling with his eyes closed. "Analyzing tennis, huh?" he mused, smiling. "Interesting. Maybe I should teach her my style of tennis."

Nearly every regular but Sanada, Yukimura and Yagyuu cringed. Yanagi's style of tennis is extremely annoying as he plays data tennis, but has the uncanny ability to be extremely unpredictable by throwing away his data tennis if necessary. Nearly every single regular had played against Yanagi at least once, him being one of the three 'demons' of Rikkaidai and they all found his style of tennis extremely annoying.

"Oh no, please don't put that in her head," muttered Marui in despair, much to Jackal and Niou's amusement. "She's difficult enough to beat as it is."

"And then again," said Yanagi, acting as if he hadn't heard Marui. "Her style of tennis is better than mine, that's for sure." He smiled. "Maybe I should get her to be our 'scout' for rival schools since her ability is better than mine, that's for sure."

Yukimura chuckled. "Found a potential successor, Yanagi?"

Yanagi smiled. "Maybe."

**

* * *

**Ten minutes into the game, and Kirihara was confused.

And he's not the only one.

The other regulars had also noticed it by then. Whatever shot that Kirihara is going to use and where he's going to aim, Rika managed to anticipate and reached the receiving place before the ball even land in the court and managed to return it.

Sora frowned. "What is going on?" he muttered. "It's as if she knew where Kirihara-sempai is going to aim."

"What is going on?" muttered Yanagi, his eyes opened.

"Yanagi?" asked Jackal.

"That girl…" muttered Yanagi. "She seems to know where Akaya is about to move next and what move he's going to use. It's as if she can see the future."

Everyone turned towards Marui who coughed politely.

"Rather than 'seeing the future', I guess you can call it 'Instinct'," he said. "Or 'Perception'. That's her ability. She's extremely observant, like what I'd told you earlier. She notices things that no one else does, even when we were younger. She used to drive many of her opponents crazy with this. Body language, speech pattern, muscle movements…she can read all of these and knew immediately the shot about to be used just by looking."

"You have to be joking!" muttered Niou. "Is that even possible?"

"Well, Niou, you can notice habits, can't you?" said Marui with a grin. "So can Rika. Though I think her ability is more polished than yours."

"Game and match. Won by Echizen, 7-5!"

"Oh. The match is over," muttered Sora, lowering his camera.

Yukimura sighed and smiled gently. "I guess we have a new regular," he said.

**

* * *

**Kirihara sighed as he grasped Rika's hand in a handshake. "I lost," he said. "Congratulations, Rika-san. You made it as a regular. Welcome aboard."

Rika smiled and nodded. _'I won, Yuki,' _she thought to herself, shielding her eyes as she looked at the sky. _'I'll live on for both of us…through tennis.'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_After practice at the school gates:_

"Let's go celebrate!" said Kirihara with a grin, pumping his fist in the air. "We've got a new regular!"

Rika rolled her eyes in annoyance. "What is there to celebrate about?" she asked irritably, causing all regulars to laugh, even the stoic Sanada stifled his snickers.

"Well, we got our first ever female regular," said Niou, grinning mischievously. "That's going to get all the attention of all the schools. It's time for some team bonding, anyway. Neh, Yukimura?"

Yukimura smiled and nodded and Marui and Rika exchanged looks.

"Can you guys go on ahead to the yakiniku restaurant first?" asked Marui, causing all regulars to turn towards himself and Rika. "We have somewhere to go first."

Yagyuu raised one brow. "Alright," he said. "We'll meet you there."

And so, the remaining regulars headed towards the direction of the yakiniku restaurant which they always go to after winning a match, leaving Marui and Rika behind at the school gates. Marui then sighed before looking at Rika. "Let's go, shall we?"

Rika nodded before hopping on the back of Marui's bike and the latter sped off. Ten minutes later, Marui stopped his bike by a bridge not too far away from Rikkaidai Middle School which overlooks the sea. Rika then got off and took out a red paper crane from her pocket which she had made earlier and looked at it.

"Is that for Yuki?" asked Marui and Rika nodded.

"I couldn't tell her personally, so I will let this crane do the talking," said Rika. "She once told me…that paper cranes can grant wishes…and reach to the souls of the departed. If that is so, she can receive this as well." A wind blew by just then, taking the paper crane in Rika's hand high into the air. "This is…goodbye forever, Yuki. I'll live on for the both of us…by playing tennis again."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

A week later, Rika was getting used to Rikkaidai's training routine. Yanagi had her doing double the training of that of the boys as because she's a girl, she lacked the physical power that all boys had, and instead, her speed is better than that of anyone else. Her usual training partner during training is Kirihara, though depending on the situation, they usually switched training partners.

All tennis regulars had a free first period as well as a free period before lunch for training, though they have to make sure that their grades don't fall. Riku was quite busy as well with his club practice, though he often turned up at the tennis courts with Sora to watch the tennis team training.

Rika's first training was the ball training in which five ball machines fired balls simultaneously with maximum speeds towards her. In the beginning, she couldn't catch every single one and she had bruises all over her body which caused Kirihara, who was her training partner then, to flinch as he saw all the fresh bruises on her body and tried to convince Rika to lower the speed of the ball machines only to have the girl _glare_ at him and he wisely decided to leave the machines be.

But it seemed that the ball training paid off, as within a week, Rika was able to hit every single ball even with the ball machines set at maximum speed. It was a field day at Rikkaidai for a week when Rikkaidai's usual weekly school paper was out and the one thing of interest is that Rikkaidai had a female regular in their team.

As such, Sora offered to be Rika's chaperone as she invited lots of trouble from jealous girls who were part of Rikkaidai's tennis team's fan club. Fortunately for Rika, it was practically suicidal for the girls to pull anything on Rika as the principal, Yukimura, Sanada and Yanagi had made it quite clear that if anyone dares to pull anything on Rika, they'll have them and the entire tennis club to deal with.

In the beginning, the tennis club was quite uncomfortable with the idea of having a girl playing with them, but they soon warmed up to Rika as she wasn't afraid of hard training and trained as hard as any of the boys and as part of her training, Yanagi sometimes had her watching the club members practicing, having her correct whatever mistakes that she saw in their posture and shots. Even Yanagi can't see every single one of their errors, but with the new addition of Rika, even the club members improved drastically in skill, something which made both Yukimura and the principal very happy as they were both worried about the tennis club once the third year regulars graduated, with only Kirihara and Rika as the only regulars left.

By now, it wasn't an unusual sight to see Sora present at the tennis courts as he was the one taking the photos of the tennis club for their school's weekly newsletter or for the school magazine printed at the end of each month, whether it's photos for their usual training, or pictures of their rival schools.

Riku too was busy with his violin practice as the teacher was entering him for a music competition to represent their school and he had a lot of responsibility on his shoulders as this was the first time in history that a freshman was entered for a major competition, though anyone who heard Riku play his violin would agree that the guy was a genius. And act that with the fact that Riku was quite well-off, though he don't spread it about much, with his family being one of the richest in Japan, on par with Atobe Corporation.

Therefore, it's of surprise that Riku's fan club grew steadily larger, on par with the fan club of Yukimura Seiichi's when he was a freshman. Rika too, much to her dismay, her fan club grew steadily larger, though she soon found ways to avoid them and she soon found that the place where she first met Marui and the rest of the regulars for lunch was the spot for the tennis regulars and no one ever went there, thus, she could at least have some peace and quiet for an hour or so.

The Echizen family was happy as well, especially Rika's father when they realised that she had gone back to tennis and they intended to keep it that way. Kevin was delighted when Rika sent him an email, telling him that she'd gone back to tennis and telling him that he'd better improve on _his _own tennis skills as well.

Life for the Rikkaidai regulars had also gotten quite lively, especially since Rika had joined their team as a regular and with Riku and Sora watching their practices every now and then.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Nani? You have to go to Hyotei?" asked Rika one morning before lessons as she listened to Riku telling them about his music lessons. Morning training had just ended and Rika had gotten a quick shower before heading back to class. Majority of her classmates had already arrived, but the teacher wasn't here yet.

Riku nodded. "The Tokyo tournament is quite a big one," he said. "And the fact that Rikkaidai is sending a FRESHMAN to represent the school in this tournament when we hadn't lost a SINGLE time for five years in the running…" He groaned. "My mother arranged for me to meet with this music coach in Hyotei Academy as he's an old friend of my mother's. I'm supposed to go there today. Can you accompany me since I have no idea how to get there?"

"And not to mention that your sense of direction sucks," said Sora with a deadpanned expression and Rika sweat dropped. "It's alright with me. I have nothing on today. Rika?"

"Buchou has given us a day off today," said Rika with a shrug. "It's alright for me as well."

"But do either of you _knew_ how to get to Hyotei?" asked Riku, exasperated.

"I can ask Bunta," said Rika with a shrug. "He'll know for sure."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Hyotei Academy:_

"So this is the place," said Sora with a whistle, looking at the big and grand-looking school. Granted, Rikkaidai was as large as this place too, but not so grand-looking. "Not bad."

"Yeah, let's find this music coach of yours, Riku," said Rika, turning towards her friend who had a violin case with him, complete with his school satchel. "What's his name?"

"Sakaki Taro," answered Riku. "Kaa-san told me that he's also the tennis coach of Hyotei, so he should be at the tennis courts as well…" He trailed off, looking in several directions at once to see which way is the tennis court.

'_Tennis, huh?' _thought Rika. _'Maybe I should go and take a look at their team as well.'_

"One problem…" muttered Riku, looking left and right. "Which way is the tennis court?"

Rika and Sora both rolled their eyes in annoyance. How the hell did this guy get to be christened as a 'genius' anyway when he's so dense that his sense of direction totally sucks?

"Choto, Riku, where are you going?" asked Rika, grabbing Riku by the back of his collar and marching off towards the left side where her sharp ears caught the sound of tennis balls. "This way."

Sora sighed before tailing them.

**

* * *

**_Tennis courts:_

The three Rikkaidai freshmen ignored the curious looks given to them by the tennis players as they were all in their school uniforms before walking up to the coach, a man dressed in a brown business suit, seated on the bench by the bleachers.

"Sakaki-sensei?" questioned Riku and Sakaki nodded.

"You must be Satochi Riku-kun?" he asked and Riku nodded. Sakaki nodded. "Very well. Atobe." He called to who seemed to be the captain of the team, a handsome teen with gray-silver hair. "I'll put you temporarily in charge whilst I'm training him."

Atobe nodded. "Hai."

"And you two are?" questioned Sakaki when he looked at Sora and Rika.

"I'm Shinderui Sora," said Sora. "This is Echizen Rika. We merely accompanied Riku here since he didn't know the way to Hyotei."

Sakaki nodded. "Very well," he said. "I'll welcome you to sit in on our training sessions if you like."

"Arigato gozaimas," said Sora with a deep bow. "Rika?"

"If you don't mind, can I watch your tennis team training?" asked Rika.

Sakaki raised one brow. "I don't mind," he said. "Riku-kun, come with me. Resume training, Atobe."

"Hai," said Atobe before raising his voice. "You heard the coach!"

**

* * *

**"They're good, Rika," said Sora, impressed, as he watched the Hyotei team training. The club members were currently taking a break whilst the only ones still training were the regulars of the team. "Probably as good as our school's team."

"Yeah," agreed Rika. "But that silver-haired guy…" She frowned as she looked at the sole sophomore player on the courts. "His serve…is powerful…but it lacks accuracy."

"Heh, you've got a sharp eye, missy," said a voice and both freshmen turned to see the Hyotei captain by them. "Ohtori's serve has never been able to be returned yet, but it's true that it lacks accuracy. How were you able to see it, by the way?" He asked, curious, as the regulars took a short break.

Sora laughed. "She's in the tennis team of our school," he said. "She's playing as a regular in the boys' team."

"Eh?" Atobe blinked, wondering if he had just heard Sora right, along with the rest of his regulars. "You're playing in the boys' team? What's your school again?"

Rika sighed. "I'm Echizen Rika from Rikkaidai," she answered and the regulars stiffened at that name.

"R-Rikkaidai?" said Mukahi Gakuto weakly. "So…you're the female regular that we heard so much about."

Atobe smirked. "Interesting…" he said, finding his interest in the girl before him rising. "May I have the honours of taking you out on a date?"

Everyone face faulted, save for Rika whose eye twitched dangerously. "I don't like losers who tried to get fresh with me," she muttered, cracking her knuckles together dangerously. She then looked at her watch. "Come on, Sora. Riku's training session should be over by now."

"H-Hai!" said Sora as he scampered after his friend.

"Rikkaidai, huh?" muttered Oshitari Yuushi. "They're champions for three years in the running. If that girl is a regular as well, she's good…way good. And she's good enough to notice Ohtori's flaws with that serve of his. Only a really experienced player with sharp eyes can notice that."

"That means that we have to step up our training, don't we?" said Atobe with a smirk. "At our current level, we're not good enough to face Rikkaidai yet, let alone the entire team. If we wanted to fulfil our dream of going to the Nationals, without a doubt, we have to first face them."


	4. A Tragic Past

**Chapter Four: A Tragic Past**

Thoughts of dying ran through the head of Kirihara Akaya as he struggled to return a particularly fast ball that Rika served to him. For some unknown reason, Rika has been quite pissed off for the last two days and totally slaughtered the non-regulars that played against her. Even Sanada and Yukimura didn't go near the obviously pissed off freshman.

Kirihara heaved a sigh of relief as Sanada called for break and Kirihara scampered towards the bench, glad to get away from Rika even for a moment. Only a few people knew what had made Rika so pissed for the last two days, among which included Marui, Sora and Riku.

Apparently, Atobe Keigo had somehow gotten hold of Rika's address and had started sending love letters, chocolates, flowers, etc, to her house, complete with a poster declaring his undying love daily ever since her first visit to Hyotei Academy. Ryoga and her father were not pleased with this kid as the two Echizen males were extremely protective over their little sister/daughter. Karupin was not pleased as well and had somehow become Rika's personal Atobe love letter shredder.

Sora and Riku had roared with laughter when Rika had told them what Atobe had done the first morning when she received his mountain of gifts. However, Rika didn't find it funny and had vented her frustration on the non-regulars – several who were in severe need of some psychological help after she's done with them.

Kirihara panted heavily, taking gulps from his water bottle. "What the hell's wrong with her today?" he nearly whined. "She seems to be extremely angry."

Marui who was standing next to Kirihara sighed. "Blame her unwanted admirer," he muttered. "Rika was not amused by his wooing tactics."

"Sanada." Yanagi spoke up – both the data master and the Emperor had been watching Rika's practice with Kirihara. "Did you notice it just now?"

Sanada nodded slowly. "It's so slight that it wouldn't be noticeable, but yes," he said. "Sound. She relies on her eyes too much because of her Perception and Prediction abilities. When Akaya fired a shot that she didn't see, she's a tad bit slow to react. Her weakness lies in sound."

Yanagi nodded slowly. "You're going to do something about it?" he asked, amused.

Sanada grunted and nodded. "Rikkaidai's reputation is at stake," he said. "And she's a regular. Even if Rika is a girl, I won't be going easy on her. Isn't it because of this reason too that you made her do double the training that we usually do?"

Yanagi chuckled. "You noticed?"

Sanada grunted. "Marui told me about it," he said. "He told me that her brother nearly killed him after the first day of official training as a regular for her when she passed out on the way home from exhaustion and he had to carry her home."

Yanagi chuckled. "Maybe I'm a little harsh on her, but the training paid off, didn't it?" he said, amused. "She defeated Akaya and Akaya came to me for extra training and to increase his usual training regime. Seems like he had added another person to his 'to defeat' list."

Sanada nodded solemnly. "No matter the reason, Rikkaidai must _never_ lose," he said. "We have our reputations as champions at stake after all."

"So you're having a match with her after all?" said Yanagi and Sanada nodded.

"I need to test her level," he said. "True, her skills are her own and not a copy's, but it's not good enough for our standards...even if she can defeat Akaya. I need to bring her true potential out before I'll feel safe leaving Rikkaidai in the hands of those two once we've graduated."

Yanagi nodded before looking at his watch. "Okay, break's over," he said before raising his voice. "Get back to practice!"

"Hai!"

Kirihara was about to get back to his practice match with Rika who, much to his relief, seemed to have worked out most of her anger and frustration when Sanada stopped both the younger players.

"Akaya." Kirihara turned towards Sanada who had spoken. "Play a practice match with Yanagi. Rika. Have a match with me right now. I need to gauge your level."

Rika blinked before nodding and headed towards Court C where Sanada stood waiting whilst Kirihara went towards Court A where Yanagi is. Needless to say, Sanada is way out of Rika's league and he beat her 6-0 without Rika taking a single point, much to her dismay.

Sanada nodded to himself, satisfied with what he'd seen. "At your current level, you're good...but not good enough to face myself or Yukimura yet," he said. "Marui and Akaya told me that you have no problems with the ball machine training even when it's set to maximum speeds."

Rika nodded. "Yeah."

Sanada nodded, satisfied. "Then I have a new kind of training for you. With your abilities of Perception and Prediction, you should have no problem with it."

"Huh?"

"I noticed your weaknesses when you're having a practice match with Akaya earlier," said Sanada, explaining to the freshman. "And during your match with me, I noticed your weak points as well. You're fast in receiving shots and can see shots that most people can't, so I'll presume that your eyes are better than most people, and because you're a girl, speed is your specialty. But you rely on your eyes too much, thus, sound is your weakness. We're going to do a special type of training that myself, Yanagi and Yukimura did last year. This will strengthen your sense of hearing."

Rika frowned. "What training is that?" she asked.

"Sound training," said Sanada. "I'll blindfold you and you have to rely completely on your ears. I'll hit a ball and you'll tell me where it will land. This will strengthen your senses and listening ability. So far, only myself, Yanagi and Yukimura had been able to do that. But you...with your abilities of Perception and Prediction, you should be able to do it better than us three." Sanada then shouted for some club members to bring in the numbered mats and cones. "We'll start once they bring in the necessary mats and cones."

"Hai."

**

* * *

**_After practice:_

"Mataku...that Sanada," said Niou Masaharu, shaking his head as he watched Yagyuu tend to the bruises on Rika's right arm carefully with a first aid box opened on the bench beside him. "He sure didn't hold back."

The sound training is kind of harsh. Sanada started off first by lying several numbered mats behind Rika before blindfolding her and with every shot that he hit, Rika had to tell him which numbered mat that Sanada had aimed at. After Sanada was satisfied with that, he then had Rika blindfolded before having her play a match with him whilst blindfolded. She did better than Sanada, Yukimura and Yanagi expected of someone going through the sound training for the first time, but still managed to develop plenty of bruises on her person from the shots that Sanada hit as the vice-captain sure didn't hold back on his strength at all and came at Rika like he would any male which Rika was thankful for. She didn't want anyone in the tennis club to treat her like some fragile thing that's about to break.

The regulars and most of the club members winced every time a stray ball hit Rika, yet they didn't hear her cry out or anything, but insisted on continuing until Yukimura had ended training for that day. Thus, now with most of the club members gone, Yagyuu who was the one usually tending to the injuries that the tennis club usually suffered, the Gentleman of Rikkaidai being the only one with some medical training had tended to the bruises on Rika's arms and shoulder.

"Done!" said Yagyuu at last, wrapping a bandage around Rika's right arm carefully, noticing her occasional flinches as he aggravated some of her bruises.

"Mataku, Sanada-san!" said Marui with a frown, turning towards the fukubuchou whilst blowing out a bubblegum. "Don't you think that you've gone a little harsh on her? I mean, even myself, Akaya, Yagyuu and Jackal hadn't been able to master that sound training yet."

"She has the skills for that," said Sanada stubbornly. "Besides, she's mastered the training, hasn't she? It took myself, Yukimura and Yanagi a whole week before we even mastered it, yet Rika managed to master it in just a day."

"Yes, but what is her father and brother going to say once they see all those bruises?" asked Marui warily, looking at the bandages on Rika's arm.

"I'll stop them from killing you, if that's what you mean," said Rika, waving Marui's concerns off. "Don't worry. No pain, no gain, right?"

Marui sighed. "You still planning on going today?"

"Yeah," said Rika, picking up her school bag, having changed into her school uniform earlier, along with the rest of the regulars.

Kirihara blinked. "Going where?" he asked.

"Street tennis," said Marui with a sigh. "We heard about it from Ryoga-san – Rika's brother – and we wanted to go and take a look at it for ourselves. Apparently, that new freshman regular in Seigaku had been going to the street tennis courts near Seigaku on a daily basis after his team training."

Jackal blinked. "A freshman regular?" he echoed. "That's rare. I thought that we are the only school out there with a freshman regular. What's that regular's name?"

"I think it's Shiki," said Rika slowly, trying to remember. "Shinderui Shiki. He's an amazing player, according to my brother. And since it's my brother, I don't think that he'll lie or exaggerate. He even defeated Kaidoh Kaoru and Inui Sadaharu during Seigaku's ranking matches last month."

Yukimura blinked. "Kaidoh Kaoru and Inui Sadaharu?" he echoed. "That's a surprise. Those two regulars are some of Seigaku's best players. And this freshman beat them both? He's good."

"Yeah," said Marui with nod. "Rika. Shall we go?"

"Hai," said Rika with a nod before turning towards the other regulars. "See you guys tomorrow!"

"Yeah," said Kirihara with a nod. "See you tomorrow!"

"Marui, see her home after this!" said Yagyuu, ever the gentleman.

"Yeah, yeah," said Marui tiredly.

Somehow, by voting, the Rikkaidai regulars had decided that at least one of them will be responsible for seeing their female regular home after every tennis practice and also be the one to accompany her to wherever she wanted to go after every practice and only leave her side once she's home. Yagyuu and Yukimura were the ones who had first brought this up when Rika had first joined them as a regular, as one was a perfect gentleman and the other was just naturally gentle and kind by nature, and not being sexists or anything, but the rest of the team, even Kirihara and Sanada agreed, and as Marui was the one who lived the closest to Rika, he was the one appointed to be Rika's 'bodyguard', though depending on the situation, they switch.

Shinderui Sora and Satochi Riku, Rika's classmates and best friends were quite amused over this, as occasionally, the two boys usually went home with Rika after tennis practice as Riku also had club practice until late in the evening, sometimes finishing club training just a few minutes before the tennis club ends their training on the days when he wasn't training at Hyotei. Sora, being the ever good and loyal friend usually waited for them both before going home together. Sora and Riku both lived on the same street which was just a street away from Rika's and the three freshmen usually head home together unless they had something on.

Yukimura frowned slightly, studying their female regular. "Are you sure that you shouldn't go home straight after sustaining all these bruises?" he asked worriedly.

"I'm fine, buchou," said Rika, waving his concerns away. "It's only bruises, not fractured bones."

Marui frowned and looked at Yukimura. Even if the normally gentle captain was always kind and gentle to everyone else, this was the first time that he saw him being so concerned over a regular. He then grinned evilly.

"How about if you accompany Rika to the street tennis courts instead, 'Mura?" he asked.

"I don't think so, Bunta," said Rika in a deadpanned voice. "Not to insult you or anything, buchou, but until now, other than Hyotei, none of our rival schools knew that I'm the female regular in Rikkaidai yet and I intend to keep it that way as a trump card of sorts until the districts tournament which will be next week, am I right, Yanagi-sempai?" Yanagi nodded. "And if buchou came with me to the street tennis courts, everyone will know that I'm the female regular since he's quite famous among the schools as he's one of the top National-level players in middle school tennis."

Niou grinned. "Taking advantage of the situation when one would underestimate a girl, huh?" he said.

"If you say so," said Yukimura with a sigh. "Marui, please be sure to see her home safely." Marui nodded. "See you tomorrow."

"Yeah."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Street tennis courts:_

"So this is the street tennis courts," said Marui with a whistle. "Not bad."

Rika nodded, looking around the courts. "Yeah, but there aren't many people here today," she said with disappointment. "I heard that many people frequent the courts here."

"Because most of them have already gone back," said a voice and both Marui and Rika turned to see a brown-haired boy with a scar by his forehead in tennis clothes standing behind them, a can in his hand. "I've never seen you before. I'm Fuji Yuuta. Who are you?"

"Marui Bunta," said Marui. "Nice to meet you."

"Echizen Rika," said Rika. "Fuji Yuuta...I seemed to have heard your name somewhere before..." She trailed off.

Yuuta sighed. "You've probably heard of my brother instead of me," he said unhappily. "My brother's name is Fuji Syusuke, the 'tensai' of Seigaku." He half expected for Rika's face to light up or something, but to his disbelief, all that she said was 'oh'.

"You play tennis, right?" said Rika, turning to Yuuta who blinked rapidly. This was the first time that someone didn't care that he's related to the tensai Fuji Syusuke.

Yuuta nodded. "Yeah," he said. "I'm a regular with St. Rudolph's. I usually come here to practice after team practice since my school's tennis courts close after six."

Rika smiled slightly. "Care for a game?" she asked and Yuuta blinked before grinning. He's starting to like this girl as she's so different from all the other girls that he met.

"You're on," he said. "Just don't expect me to hold back just because you're a girl."

Rika laughed. "Wouldn't have it any other way."

Ten minutes later...

"Game and match. Won by Echizen, 6-0," said Marui who was acting as referee as Rika walked off the courts, leaving a stunned Yuuta who couldn't even manage to score a single point. This is the first time that he had lost that badly. Even when he was playing against his brother, he could at least win a game or two against him. Never before in history had he lost so badly before, be it in an official match or a mock match.

Another boy who was watching the match whistled. "Damn Yuuta...you sure got your ass whipped," he said.

"You're pretty good," said Rika, turning towards Yuuta as she picked up her tennis bag. "You're no genius, but you have all the aspects of a good tennis player. Keep training and you'll one day be strong enough to beat your brother."

Yuuta blinked. "You really think so?" he said hopefully and Rika nodded.

"I believe that hard work can surpass a true genius any day," she said. "I have a brother who's supposedly better than me at tennis too. I told myself that I'll continue playing tennis until I grow strong enough to beat him before going pro if I have the chance." She smiled. "You should do that too."

"Aa."

"Another thing," said Rika, turning back to Yuuta. "That Twist Spin Shot of yours...don't use it."

Yuuta blinked. "Huh? Why?!"

Rika frowned. "Didn't you know?" she asked. "Or didn't you feel it during all those times when you had been using it? That Twist Spin Shot is dangerous. It causes a strain to your shoulder. Younger players are advised against using that shot as our skeletal structure aren't fully developed yet. Train to beat your brother if you must, but never sacrifice your health for it." She smiled at Yuuta's stunned expression. "I hope to see you in the courts one day, Yuuta-san."

"Wait!" called Yuuta as Marui and Rika walked off the courts. "Who are you? Which school are you from?"

Rika laughed, turning back to face Yuuta. "You'll find out in the Kantou Tournament if your school managed to make it there," she said.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

That night, in the Yanagi residence in the Kanagawa district, Yanagi Renji frowned, typing away on his computer with one hand, the other hand supporting his chin as a steaming mug of hot cocoa sat on his desk.

He had been curious for a while about Rikkaidai's newest female regular, especially with the small hints that Marui had dropped here and there about Rika's past and why she quit tennis for a while until Marui had dragged her back to the sport.

Yanagi reached for his cellphone on the table and dialled a few numbers. Three rings later, the phone was picked up.

"Sadaharu?" asked Yanagi. "It's me."

"_Oh?" _said the voice of his childhood friend. _"Renji? What is it?"_

"I need you to help me turn up some articles at the newspaper archives of the Tokyo library..."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Next day at Rikkaidai:_

"Sanada?"

Sanada turned to see Yanagi entering the clubroom as he unbuttoned his uniform, changing into his tennis jersey. Yukimura had just unlocked the door of the clubroom as well as the tennis courts a while ago before doing the usual cleaning duties for the tennis courts.

"Yanagi?" frowned Sanada. "What is it?" He pulled his jersey over his head.

Yanagi sighed before taking out a newspaper clipping and giving it to Sanada. His old friend had managed to find this particular newspaper clipping in the newspaper computer database of the Tokyo library and had emailed it to Yanagi since it's written completely in English and there were several words that not even Inui understood.

"I found this," said Yanagi grimly, giving the translated newspaper clipping which he had spent an entire night translating. "I had been curious about Rika's past for a while and the small hints that Marui dropped here and there about why she quit tennis for a time before he dragged her back to the sport. That has to do with our Ice Princess and why she quit tennis."

Sanada frowned, reading the translated newspaper heading of the newspaper clipping that Yanagi had given him. "A car accident of a tennis prodigy?"

"Yeah," said Yanagi grimly. "I think it's best if we ask her about it. She may not want to talk about it, but we can help her more if we knew what happened."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Yukimura sighed as he looked at his watch and noted that morning training is over for now. He then clapped his hands, bringing attention to himself. "Alright, morning practice is over for today," he said. "First years, gather up the balls. Second years, gather up the nets. Third years, clean the courts."

"Hai!"

Just as Rika is about to do her usual cleaning duties, Sanada stopped her in her tracks. "Rika."

"Sanada-fukubuchou?"

"Come with me."

Sanada caught Yukimura's eye and nodded before the two best friends brought Rika to the back of the clubhouse where they could have some privacy.

"What is it?" asked the freshman.

Sanada sighed. "Yanagi did some digging...about your past," he said hesitantly and Rika went pale. "I know that you don't want to talk about it. But you have to if you want to be able to get over it. All that we knew is regarding a car accident about a tennis prodigy in America. But your name is mentioned. Can you tell us what happened?"

Rika stared at both Sanada and Yukimura for a moment before sighing. "I knew that it will get out sooner or later," she muttered. "But this isn't a story that I'm repeating twice. I'll tell the whole regular team at lunch."

Yukimura frowned and placed one hand on her shoulder. "You sure?"

Rika nodded. "Hai."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Rika was quite distracted throughout her lessons until the bell rang for lunch. Sora and Rika who sat behind her had noticed this, of course, and wondered what could be bothering Rika so much. Fortunately for her, Rika's a model student and the teachers don't really pay attention to her during class much as she had been scoring top for all her subjects so far.

"Rika." Rika turned as Riku placed a hand on her shoulder just before she could go off for lunch. "I have some last minute practice with Mikaki-sensei. She's currently teaching me a particularly difficult music piece and I still can't get some of the pitches right. Sakaki-sensei is helping me with it. I won't be able to join you guys for lunch today, I'm afraid."

Rika nodded and Sora raised a hand apologetically. "Sorry, me too," he said. "Yamazaki-sempai wanted to see my pictures today during lunch since the deadline for the weekly paper is tomorrow. But..." He looked at Rika. "You're going to tell the regulars, aren't you? About what happened to you?"

Riku and Sora had more or less knew what had happened to Rika in the past as she had dropped enough hints for the two boys to pick up, both whom are extremely sharp and intelligent like Rika herself. All three had been tying for the top place in class and occasionally, one of them would be in second or third place, but still, all three of them are currently in the top places in their class and school rankings.

Rika nodded slowly. "I knew that it will come out sooner or later," she said. "I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."

"If you say so," said Riku worriedly. "I have to go. Sora, you too, right?"

"Aa."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Marui was waiting for Rika outside her classroom, nervously casting glances at the nearby freshmen girls especially since the freshmen classrooms are considered 'forbidden territory' for the tennis regulars.

"Bunta?"

Marui turned to see Rika stepping out of her classroom with her bento in her hands. "I've come to pick you up," he said, answering her unasked question. "Yanagi told me that you've decided to come clean."

Rika nodded before the two walked down the hallways of the school, before heading to the back of the school not too far away from the tennis courts beneath the sakura tree where the rest of the regulars were waiting. Niou was leaning with his back against the tree, already tucking into his bento whilst Kirihara was just finishing up his lunch, with bits of rice stuck on his cheek.

"I've brought her," said Marui cheerfully before settling down on the grass.

Rika blinked before sitting next to Marui, sitting on her knees. Yukimura looked at Rika with concerned eyes. "Are you sure that you want to tell?" he asked. "You don't have to if you don't want to."

"Iie," she muttered. "I think it's best if I tell." She sighed. "What do you know about my time in America?"

Yagyuu frowned slightly, pushing up his glasses. "Not much," he said. "Only from what we knew from Marui. And that you're the team captain of your tennis team in America."

Rika nodded, unwrapping her bento and not looking into the eyes of any of the tennis regulars as she started on her lunch...and her story. "When I was in America," she said. "Even in elementary school, I was in the tennis club. My father trained both me and my brother from the moment when we can hold a tennis racquet in tennis. Unlike Japan, in America, inter-gender tournaments are allowed, and thus, our tennis clubs are mixed with both girls and boys. When I entered elementary school, St Andrews...I joined the tennis club as well with my childhood friends, Kevin Smith and...Yakiwa Yuki."

"Yakiwa Yuki?" echoed Kirihara.

"Kevin and I started out as rivals at first. We first met in a tennis match when we were kids – around six years old, I guess. But we found out that we have a lot in common and we soon became friends. He has...quite a troubled past. His mother died when he was little and his father, George Smith, a former pro, often gets himself drunk and once he did, he'll hit Kevin. George Smith was a former pro who won the Australian Open and the US Open as the reigning champion before my father came into the picture and beat him."

Sanada frowned. "Your father?"

Marui sighed. "Echizen Nanjirou," he said. "Also known as Samurai Nanjirou. He was a former pro and had never lost a game before and was just one step away from winning the Grand Slams when he suddenly announced retirement from the professional circuit and disappeared from the professional games since then."

"With George Smith's defeat, he sunk into depression and soon started pushing his son to be a professional player like himself. When I met Kevin, we often played tennis together and we only found out about his abuse sometime last year. Kevin immediately sued his father for child abuse and my mother who is an attorney at law handled his case and we kind of adopted him into our family, but it will only be made official once the case is over."

"Yuki, on the other hand, we had been friends since our kindergarten days. She's a tennis player as well and we did everything together. In America, my father's fame was known far and wide. Kevin, Yuki and myself joined the tennis club in St Andrews and we were...the captains of that team. Kevin and myself were co-captains and Yuki was the vice-captain as well as the training manager of the team as we do not have a coach. And St Andrews soon became the only elementary school in America's tennis history that can play against high schoolers in tennis matches and win our matches."

"Is that even possible?"

"It is," said Rika with a nod. "But it is only made possible after a lot of hard work. It took us nearly a year before we can play against high schoolers. But during one of our matches about a year ago...we – that is, as in Kevin, Yuki and myself – we got into a bit of a mess with a gang."

"A GANG?!"

Rika and Marui nearly winced at the loud volume. "One of the high school tennis teams that were our opponents...they came from a school that is well-known to be associated with the Mafia. We all knew that, yet we didn't care. We defeated those guys. In fact, we totally thrashed them. The captain of that team swore revenge for his humiliation and that's the last that we've ever heard of them. About six months ago...something...happened. Yuki died."

"On the surface, it's a simple car accident, but Kevin and I knew that it's not that simple. We were with her at that time when it happened and we recognised the symbol on the car that hit her. It was the mark of the family of the team captain that we thrashed during the finals of our last tournament. A Mafia family – an extremely dangerous one – the Krauser family. They were a dangerous family who had dealings with the underworld and even the police couldn't catch them as their influence stretched as far as to the political circle. Thus, the case was written off as a car accident. But after that, strange things started happening to Kevin and myself."

Sanada frowned. "Strange things?"

"Little accidents," said Rika. "Flower pots falling off the window ledges, nearly getting ran over by motorcycles, other gangs picking fights with us. Finally, my father decided to move to Japan because...I was still strung up over Yuki's death then. Kevin can't come yet because we're still fighting his custody case then. And...that's that."

There was silence for a moment before Yanagi spoke. "That gang...what is their name?"

There was silence before Rika answered. "Firefly."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Rika's eye twitched as she watched a sheepish Marui, a rather pissed Jackal and a definitely not happy Yagyuu in the river.

The tennis team had decided to go for some yakiniku at the restaurant which they always frequented and Marui had somehow fallen into the river and had dragged Yagyuu and Jackal in with him. He would have dragged Rika in as well, but fortunately that Rika had managed to dodge.

Kirihara stuffed his fist in his mouth to prevent himself from laughing and Yukimura was smiling at the sight of three of his tennis regulars dripping wet. Rika sighed, looking at the streets around them before turning towards the direction of the river to see Sanada and Niou helping the three disgruntled regulars out of the river.

Sanada raised an eyebrow as he noticed Rika looking around her at the houses and streets as Yagyuu squeezed water out of his hair and uniform whilst Jackal was glaring at Marui. "Rika?"

Rika sighed before turning towards her teammates. "My house is nearby," she said. "Why don't you come on over? My brother should be able to loan you some of his clothes, and my father can take this chance to know you too." She mumbled something under her breath. "He's been freaking out ever since I got onto the regulars, saying something about not knowing my male teammates…other than Bunta."

Kirihara grinned. "Whoa. Overprotective father, much?"

Rika sighed. "Come on. This way."

**

* * *

**_Echizen Residence:_

"Whoa…" muttered Kirihara, staring at the residence with wide eyes. "It's huge."

"Rika-san?" Nanako opened the door only to see three dripping boys behind her cousin. "Marui-kun? What happened?"

"They decided to take a dip into the river," said Rika with a grin. "Can you loan them some of nii-san's clothes?"

"Hai," said Nanako, allowing the tennis regulars to enter the house. "Wait here." She was back in a moment with towels and a fresh change of clothes. "The bathroom's in that direction."

And the three dripping wet boys headed towards the direction that Nanako had pointed them in whilst Rika headed towards the kitchen to make some tea for her teammates. Yukimura looked around the house, taking in the decorations and the photos hanging on the walls. Quite a few photos had a younger Rika in her tennis attire, with a medal or a trophy, smiling at the camera whilst quite a few others had a boy several years older who looked a lot like Rika with trophies as well. A couple of pictures had the Echizen family in it whilst one photo hanging on the wall had a younger Rika with two other teens – a blonde boy and a girl with hazel-brown hair in similar tennis attires smiling at the camera.

"Buchou." A voice caused Yukimura to turn around to see Rika holding a tray with eight glasses on it. "Have some tea."

"Okay."

Yagyuu, Marui and Jackal entered the room just then, their wet school uniforms hanging over their arms, each of them wearing some of Ryoga's clothes. "Thank you, Rika," said Yagyuu.

"Don't mention it," said Rika. "Have some tea."

"Meow."

Rika blinked, along with her teammates as a meow sounded and a white blur leapt into Rika's arms, nearly knocking her over. A purring happy Karupin rubbed his head against Rika's arm and she laughed. "Karupin!"

"Very cute cat you have there," said Niou with a grin.

"Tadaima."

Rika looked up, along with every single one of her teammates as Echizen Nanjirou entered, his nose stuck in some magazine and Rika sighed. "Oyaji," she said in an extremely dangerous voice. "Can you put that away?"

"Huh?" Nanjirou looked up only to see Rika's teammates staring at him. "Who're they?"

"They're my teammates," said Rika with a sigh. What had she done wrong in her past life to have such a childish father?

Yukimura bowed politely to Nanjirou before introducing himself, along with the rest of the team. Nanjirou nodded slowly, looking at each of the tennis regulars suspiciously, save for Marui who knew what is coming next.

"Okay, you boys," said Nanjirou. "I just have one thing to say to you: other than being my daughter's teammates, don't hit on her or else."

Rika nearly choked on her tea as she heard that.

"OYAJI!"

The rest of the regulars stifled their chuckles as they watched their female regular glaring at her father. Who knew that the famous Echizen Nanjirou is so overprotective of his only daughter?

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Two days later:_

It was near the end of tennis practice and for reasons unknown, Yukimura had decided to let Marui and Rika go off early since the districts tournament will be the next day. Also, both Marui and Rika decided to take a look at the street tennis courts to determine the level of their rival schools.

"It's pretty crowded this time," remarked Rika as they walked up the street tennis courts. "Unlike the last time. But…" She frowned as she looked at all the faces of the boys currently on the street tennis courts. "I don't see Yuuta anywhere."

"He's probably still training at school or something," said Marui.

"It's rare to see a girl up these parts," said a voice and both Marui and Rika turned to see a girl with light brown hair with heart barrettes in her hair. She smiled at Rika and Marui. "I'm Ann. Tachibana Ann. You guys are?"

"Rika," said Rika. "Echizen Rika. This is Marui Bunta."

"Are you two on a date?"

"No!" said Rika quickly. "We heard that there are street tennis courts here and decided to see what it's like." Well, it wasn't completely a lie.

"Oh, I see," said Ann, before she turned towards the entrance of the street tennis courts. "Ara? Those two are…"

"Huh?"

And Marui and Rika turned towards the entrance to see two boys walking in. One was a rather tall boy with spiky black hair and purple eyes whilst the other was a rather short boy with hazel-brown hair and blue eyes.

Marui frowned, blowing out his bubblegum. "Who're they?" he asked.

"They're tennis regulars from Seigaku," said Ann. "I met them earlier at a burger restaurant. One of them is a sophomore, Momoshiro Takeshi. I don't know the other."

Marui frowned. "Is he the rumored freshman genius from Seigaku that you're talking about?"

"I think so," said Rika. "What's his name again? Shinderui Shiki or something."

The trio watched as the Seigaku pair totally slaughtered every challenger with 6-0 and Marui whistled. "Not bad," he said. "Seems like you've got an opponent or two, Rika."

"Yeah."

However, when it came to two boys who became the Seigaku pair's next challengers…Fukawa and Izumi were their names, they lost 6-0 because they totally suck in doubles. Rika sighed. "They're okay as singles, but they sucked as a doubles pair," she mumbled and Marui and Ann can't help agreeing with her.

"Hey, that girl over there!" Izumi shouted, pointing his racquet towards Rika's direction as the Seigaku pair left the street tennis courts. "How about having a match with us?"

Rika blinked. "Doubles?"

"Of course!"

Rika looked at Marui. "What are we going to do?"

"Let's go," said Marui, taking his racquet and giving Rika's racquet to her before both walked towards the tennis courts where Fukawa and Izumi stood waiting. He then lowered his voice. "But at ten percent of our usual play. I don't want Sanada and Yukimura coming after our heads."

Rika nodded. "Me too."

And needless to say, even at ten percent of their usual power, Marui and Rika totally slaughtered Fukawa and Izumi with 6-0 especially since the two knew each other so well, being childhood friends, and ended the game in three minutes.

"Too easy," muttered Rika, walking off the courts with Marui, leaving a gaping Fukawa and Izumi behind on the courts, as well as a shocked audience.


	5. Districts Tournament

**Chapter Five: Districts Tournament**

_Kanagawa Districts Tournament:_

Sanada grunted, tapping his foot impatiently and looking at his watch which said 09:45am. "Where are they?" he muttered impatiently. "They're so late!"

"Maa, maa," said Yukimura, trying to calm the irritated vice-captain down. "They should be here at any moment."

And the remaining of the Rikkaidai team then heard the sound of running footsteps and turned to see Marui and Rika running up to them, panting heavily. Sanada turned to them with a frown. "You're late!" he grunted.

"Blame this guy instead!" growled Rika, glaring at Marui who 'eeped' and tried to hide behind Yagyuu. "I had to go to his house to wake him up and bring him here because sleeping beauty here simply _refuses to wake up!"_

"I see..." said Yukimura with a blink. "And by the way..." He looked pointedly at the dripping wet jerseys and jackets of the Rikkaidai tennis regulars on Marui and Rika both. "What happened to you two?"

Marui 'eeped' as Rika turned and glared at him. The redhead coughed politely. "We...er...kind of fell into the river," he said.

"You mean _you _fell in and dragged me in," grunted Rika, glaring at a sheepish Marui, much to the tennis team's amusement. Rika's tennis jersey had to be pre-ordered by Yagyuu from the tennis shop that usually made Rikkaidai's tennis jerseys as she's the smallest in both size and body frame compared to the rest of the team and because she's a girl.

The Rikkaidai jacket was still the same as the one that all the boys wear, though what was worn beneath was slightly different. The tennis jersey was roughly a tank top version of the loose fitting polo shirt with the yellow and black colour scheme. And like most of the tennis team members, Rika wore a pair of white cargo pants, with a pair of black wristbands around both her wrists.

Rika muttered something under her breath and glared at Marui. "Remind me again why I'm the one to go get you whenever we have a match?"

Yagyuu coughed politely, quite amused. "Maybe because you live closer to Marui compared to the rest of us?" he asked.

Rika sighed. "Forget it," she said irritably. "Take it that I've never asked."

Jackal looked at Rika up and down with concern. "Do you need an extra jersey?" he asked. "We usually kept an extra with us during matches in case of emergency."

"No, don't bother," said Rika hurriedly. "I have a spare." And she looked in several directions at once before turning back towards Jackal sheepishly. "Which way to the toilet?"

Jackal pointed her towards the direction of the restroom before Rika unzipped her tennis bag and took out her spare set of her tennis jersey and walking off towards the direction that Jackal had pointed her in and Niou grinned.

"She seems pissed off about something," remarked Kirihara. "Rare for our resident Ice Princess." He turned towards Marui. "Marui-sempai, did you do something?"

"No."

Niou blinked. "Then is it her 'time' again?" asked the Trickster. "She's usually that short tempered when she does." The entire team – even the stoic Sanada – shivered when they recalled a time when Rika is on PMS. Poor Kirihara who happened to be her training partner that week had to be nursed for several bruises and severe psychological trauma.

"Maybe," said Marui, taking out his spare jersey from his tennis bag as well. "But I won't ask her if I'm you. I value my life, thanks. I'll be back in a moment."

And he walked off towards the direction of the restroom.

Yagyuu sighed, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Whoever Rika's opponent will be, I already pity him," he muttered and the rest of the team nodded in agreement.

**

* * *

**There were already several schools present near the registration booth when Rikkaidai arrived and the chattering soon died away as the rival schools recognised the tennis jersey of Rikkaidai's tennis team. And amongst the tennis regulars, there's also one lone girl which caused many players to look at them curiously, wondering if she's their manager or something.

Yukimura walked up to the registration booth with the rest of his team behind him and handed the receptionist their registration form. "Rikkaidai's nine regular members, here and accounted for," he said.

Whisperings immediately started to break out at Yukimura's announcement and even the receptionist blinked before noticing the girl standing behind Yukimura and nodded.

"Nine?"

"Since when did Rikkaidai have _nine _members?"

"But still, they set their standards high. Their ninth member must be good as well."

"Is that girl their new member?"

"Heh. She will be easy to deal with then."

Rika's eye twitched dangerously at this. What is with all these...sexists?!

Yagyuu placed a hand on her shoulder. "Show them what you're capable of later," he said in a low voice. "Underestimating a tennis regular of Rikkaidai is the worst thing that they could ever do."

"Alright," said Yukimura, turning to his team. "Let's go."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Somewhere behind a bush:_

"Finally, the time has come for us to beat Rikkaidai!" said some random player from Gika Middle High. "We shall then take their places as champions!"

"Rikkaidai's team is coming," said another player and all eight players peered behind the bush that they're hiding behind to see the tennis regulars of Rikkaidai walking past the bush that they're in.

"That's the captain, Yukimura Seiichi, aka Child of God. He's a National-level player and is Japan's number one player, good enough to beat most high schoolers and brought Rikkaidai to win the Nationals consecutively ever since he became a regular."

"N-National-level?" whimpered another player. "He's on a totally different level from us! I don't want to die that early... Let's target the others instead."

"How about those two?" asked another player, jerking his chin towards the direction of Niou and Yagyuu.

"Those two are Niou Masaharu and Yagyuu Hiroshi, also known as the Trickster and Rikkaidai's Gentleman. They're also on National-level."

"N-National level?"

"Looks like we have to throw this match as well. There are a total of five matches, so all we have to do is to win the other three."

"Don't be ridiculous. Next is second year Kirihara Akaya, also known as the Demon of Rikkaidai," whimpered another player as Kirihara walked past. "He's cheerful and easygoing now, but when he's on the court, he will turn into your worst nightmare!"

"T-That's guy's dangerous..."

"The next two are Marui Bunta and Kuwahara Jackal. Marui is also known as Rikkaidai's tensai whilst Jackal is known as Rikkaidai's Iron Wall of Defense. Those two are also on National-level."

"Here comes another."

"Rikkaidai's fukubuchou, Sanada Genichirou, also known as Rikkaidai's Emperor. He's easily one of Rikkaidai's best players, second only to their captain and also on National-level."

"I-Isn't there anyone that we can beat?"

"Not necessarily."

"Huh?"

"I've heard that there's a freshman girl on their team this year and she's bound to be easy to beat-ARGH!"

A tennis ball had somehow found it's way to the speaker's head, knocking him out cold, hit by an annoyed Rika. Apparently, the girl had found their voices way too loud for her liking and had decided to shut them up.

"Anything else that you want to add?" she growled menacingly.

The players from Gika Middle High 'eeped'. They're starting to have doubts that this freshman girl is harmless...

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_Now without any further ado, we'll now begin the first match of the districts tournament. This match is between Rikkaidai Fuzoku and Gika Middle High."_

Yukimura fixed the Gika team's captain with an eerie smile. "I've heard that you've been picking on our freshman earlier," he said with a _very nice _smile, _waaaaaay _too nice to be true and the Gika players gulped in terror.

"You sure have a lot of nerve," said Niou with a maniacal grin. "Picking on one of our players like this just because she's a girl."

Yagyuu adjusted his glasses and Sanada didn't say anything, but his blank stare speaks wonders.

The players from Gika Middle High were shaking in their boots by now and looked at each other nervously.

"Buchou, what should we do?"

"Looks like we have no choice..."

In unison, all the players yelled as one, "We forfeit this match. Our stomachs hurt."

All the Rikkaidai's regulars blinked in confusion.

"HUH?!"

**

* * *

**Rika was trying to hold back her laughter as she watched the Gika players walked out of the courts, holding their stomachs. Marui was standing next to her, one hand on her shoulder, snickering away with Niou grinning madly on Rika's other side.

"Well, that's a very amusing way to win a match," said Riku with amusement – himself and Sora had both arrived earlier just before Rikkaidai's match with Gika and had seen how Gika had forfeited, much to their amusement. Both boys had wanted to see Rika playing in her first official match and Sora had photographing duties by the photography club as well.

After that, Rikkaidai's next opponent was a school whose name that they don't even bother knowing as all five matches has a score of 6-0, with Rikkaidai as the winners against this school that Sora even wondered aloud how they even got into the tournament in the first place.

Yukimura had placed Rika in singles three and she shocked all the schools in the districts who thought that it'll be an easy win against her and finished off her opponent in less than three minutes, much to her opponent's shock as she walked off the courts, with the referee announcing the score of 6-0, leaving a severely traumatised player behind on the courts, bleating like a sheep.

Marui chuckled as he chucked Rika a bottle of water which she caught easily. There was a half-an-hour intermission before the next match-up for Rikkaidai was announced and the Rikkaidai regulars were all taking a break, though their previous matches hardly tire them out.

"You're the talk of the town, Rika," said Marui with a grin, the rest of the regulars nodding in agreement.

"Really?" said Rika sarcastically as two players walked past them, talking in extremely loud voices about a certain female freshman regular. "I didn't notice."

"By the way," said Kirihara. "Who's our next opponent?"

"Kirisaki Middle High," said Yagyuu, adjusting his glasses. "They're the second seeded school in the Kanagawa district.

"I see," said Rika thoughtfully before turning towards Yagyuu. "Yagyuu-sempai, are they any good?"

Yagyuu chuckled. "Not good enough to win against us, if that's what you mean," he said.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Game, Rikkaidai's Yanagi-Yagyuu pair. 6-0!" The referee announced the end of the second doubles match as Yagyuu and Yanagi walked off the courts and headed to the bench where the rest of the regulars stood waiting.

"Nice game," said Yukimura with a nod. "Rika, you're up next."

"Hai," said Rika, picking up her racquet and shrugging off her jacket before walking to the courts.

Her opponent was Kirisaki Middle High's captain and said captain pointed his racquet at the freshman regular. "Don't think that I'm going easy on you just because you're a girl! Who knows, by the time that I'm done with you, you might need a trip to the hospital."

Rika's eye twitched, a flash of dislike passing briefly in her eyes.

"Be my guest."

"Uh oh, that guy is in deep shit now." Kirihara muttered, grinning. "He's pissed off our resident Ice Princess."

Ten minutes later, Rika had walked off the courts with her racquet tapping against her shoulder, playing _right-handed _the whole game, leaving a severely traumatised third year behind on the courts, bleating like a sheep, with the severely shocked referee announcing the score of 6-0.

Niou grinned as he shuffled Rika's hair. "Nice game, hime-san!" he said with a grin. "You didn't show any of your trump cards!"

"Niou." Sanada interrupted. "You're up."

"I know," said Niou, picking up his racquet and entering the court. He called for smooth and sure enough, it turned out to be smooth and without any further ado, Niou threw the ball up in the air and served.

"Rika," said Yanagi, interrupting Rika's train of thought as she kept an eye on Niou's match. "You're extremely observant. What did you see in that match?"

Rika frowned as she studied Niou's posture as well as the way that he held his racquet and his eyes and it struck her like lightning. "Niou-sempai..." she said slowly. "He's just like me, isn't he?" She looked at Yanagi. "Observant traits."

Yukimura smiled gently at her. "Bingo," he said. "But his observant traits aren't as good as yours. But yes, he's extremely observant. He can see the habits of a person which is the reason why he's Rikkaidai's Trickster." He then chuckled. "Rika. I have something for you to do."

"Huh?"

"You playing against Kirisaki Middle High had served the purpose of letting word get out about our female regular. I want you to go to the Tokyo districts and watch Seigaku's matches...in your school uniform. See what they're capable of. That'll be your 'homework' whenever they have matches which you are available to go to."

Rika nodded. "Hai."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Shikinomori Tennis Park:_

"So this is the place, huh?" mused Riku who had came with Rika along with Sora. "Not bad."

"Let's find the place where Seigaku is having their match now," said Rika before the three friends walked down the pathway before coming across a braided brown-haired girl and a hazel-brown haired girl arguing with a boy and Rika recognised the girl immediately. _'She is...'_

"What did you say, you bitch?!" growled the guy before reaching out to grab the short haired girl when a tennis ball smacked his hand and he howled in pain.

The two girls and one boy turned to see Rika behind them with Riku and Sora, her tennis racquet in her hand, glaring at the boy. "You know, it's not nice to be so rough against girls," she said. "A true gentleman doesn't do that. Only cowards do that."

"What did you say?!" The boy was going to walk up to Rika when Riku blocked his pathway, a serious expression on his face. "Get out of the way!"

"I'm afraid not," said Riku calmly. "Do you want me to inform the authorities that you're picking on middle schoolers or do you want to get out of the way and stop bothering us?"

"I won't forget this!" howled the boy before taking off and Rika and Sora laughed, along with the two girls.

"That's a nice one, Riku!" said Sora with a laugh. "Good thing that he had the brains to not pick a fight with you."

Rika was staring at the short haired girl. "Haven't we met at the street tennis courts before?" she asked. "You're...Tachibana Ann, right?"

Ann smiled and nodded. "That's right," she said. "Just call me Ann. What are you doing here?"

"We thought that we would like to take a look at Seigaku's match," said Rika.

"Ah! We're about to head there as well," said Ann. "Let's go together."

**

* * *

**They arrived at Seigaku's match just as the singles three match ended, the winner being Kaidoh Kaoru of Seigaku. Ann blinked in surprise as the girl with them earlier ran to the Seigaku's side whilst the four of them stood a fair distance away from both Seigaku and Fudomine's benches, yet still able to see the match clearly. "Kamio-kun lost?!"

Sora blinked. "You know him?"

Ann nodded. "My brother is Fudomine's team captain," she said. "What about you three? What school are you from?"

"Us? Rikkaidai."

Ann blinked. "Eh?!"

"Please keep it quiet," said Rika hastily. "I don't want people knowing what school we're from."

Ann nodded. "I see your point," she said just as the singles two match was announced – Seigaku's freshman regular, Shinderui Shiki against Fudomine's Ibu Shinji.

Riku whistled. "He's pretty good, isn't he?"

Sora nodded. "Yeah."

Riku turned towards Rika just then. "What do you think, Rika? Who do you think will win?"

"Seigaku," said Rika. "You can tell by their body postures. That freshman hadn't used all his trump cards yet. There's more to come."

Indeed, the freshman quickly turned the match into his favour, despite being injured in the middle of match by his broken racquet. Rika was inwardly impressed as not many people would continue their match with an injury like that and nodded to herself as she noted how Shiki sealed off Shinji's Spot technique and turned towards Riku and Sora.

"Let's go."

"Rika?" voiced out Sora.

"The victor of this match is obvious now," said Rika. "Ann, let's play tennis sometime."

"Okay," said Ann with a smile.

**

* * *

**As the three Rikkaidai's freshmen walked towards the exit of the tennis park, they spotted a group of boys in Rikkaidai's school uniforms waving to them. "Rika!" called out Marui, waving to her.

"Sempai-tachi!" said Rika with a smile, walking up to them. "How's the match?"

"A total win," said Niou with a grin. "How's your side?"

"Seigaku won." Rika reported and Yukimura, Sanada and Yanagi nodded. "Apparently, their captain didn't play at all during the districts."

Kirihara blinked. "What? Keeping his strength secret or something?" he muttered.

"They won the district tournament," said Rika. "Their opponent is Fudomine."

Yagyuu adjusted his glasses. "Fudomine?" he muttered. "Isn't that the school that was disqualified last year for violence?"

Rika nodded. "Seigaku won," she said. "Fudomine's members are different from last year's. They're pretty good...to be able to reach this level all by themselves in six months. They do not have a coach as well. Instead, their captain trains their team. But one thing of interest is that freshman regular that Seigaku has. Their so-called freshman genius, Shinderui Shiki."

Sanada raised an eyebrow. "Oh? He played?"

"Yeah. In singles two," said Rika.

"How did he fare?"

"Better than expected."

"So Seigaku has a freshman regular as well, huh?" said Kirihara with a grin. "Not bad."

"Anyway, Rika," said Riku and Rika turned towards him. "We have to go. See you at school on Monday."

Rika nodded before both Sora and Riku left and turned back towards her seniors. "What now?"

Niou grinned, shuffling her hair. "We go and celebrate our win!" he said.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Rika blinked as Marui, Niou and Kirihara started eating all the food in sight in the yakiniku restaurant that they're in as if they hadn't eaten anything for days and Yagyuu sighed, shaking his head. "Better get used to it, Rika," he said. "They're always like this after a match."

Yukimura chuckled and Sanada grunted.

Rika sighed. "He never changes," she muttered.

Yanagi blinked. "You mean that Marui used to be like this when you're kids as well?" he questioned and Rika nodded.

"He can easily eat out a whole restaurant if given the chance," she said. "The only one who's appetite can match with his is Kevin. The two of them used to have eating competitions all the time when we're kids." She smiled. "Though at least they ate with table manners."

The rest of the regulars nodded to themselves, agreeing with Rika. Yukimura chuckled and reached out for his cup before a man sitting next to Yukimura blinked. "Ah? Young man, that is—"

"Huh?" Yukimura turned towards the man as he took a single sip of the cup before his eyes glazed over and his face flushed red.

Sanada frowned before taking the cup that Yukimura had just drank out of and sniffed at it. "Sake?" he muttered.

"He mistook my sake for his drink," said the man next to Yukimura apologetically.

"_Sake?!" _Sanada nearly yelped.

"Oh crap," muttered Niou, looking at their gentle and elegant captain who isn't quite so elegant currently. "I forgot that 'Mura can't hold his liquor. He'll get drunk if he so much as took a sip of sake."

Yukimura was currently slumped over the table, muttering something under his breath. Rika sighed. "Where does he live?"

"Huh?" Every single regular turned towards her and Rika sighed again.

"We have to take him home, right?"

"Er...right," said Sanada before telling Rika Yukimura's address before the girl nodded.

"He lives close to me," she said. "I'll take him home with Bunta. Is that okay?"

Sanada nodded hesitantly. "I guess so," he said.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Why do I have to carry 'Mura?" grunted Marui as he lugged one of Yukimura's arms around his shoulders as he walked down the streets with Rika beside him.

Rika rolled her eyes. "For a guy, you sure complain like a woman," she said. "And buchou lived the closest to us and it's already getting late. I'm sure that his parents are worried."

Yukimura pushed Marui away just then before emptying his guts out by the roadside. Rika patted his back as he hiccoughed and sighed, cleaning his mouth with her napkin. "Remind me never to give him sake in the future," she muttered.

Rika let out a shriek just then as she was suddenly pinned to the nearby metal pole, Yukimura's hands digging into her shoulders. Rika's eyes widened. "B-Buchou—"

She was then cut off in mid-sentence as Yukimura clamped his lips down on hers and Marui stared wide-eyed as he dropped his bag. He thanked his lucky stars that the streets were currently empty or Rikkaidai's newsletter will have a field day about this as Yukimura was one of the school's top students.

"I..." Yukimura hiccoughed again, his face flushed red by the sake that he had drunk by mistake earlier and his eyes glazed over. "...really...like you...Rika..."

Marui finally decided that he had better rescue his childhood friend and yanked Yukimura away from Rika before knocking him out by a sharp chop to the neck and slung one of his arms around his shoulders before looking at Rika who looked dazed.

"Rika?"

"Not a word, Bunta," said Rika dangerously, looking at anywhere but at him or Yukimura. "Not. A. Word."


	6. Atobe Keigo

**Chapter Six: Atobe Keigo**

After Yukimura...er...accidentally kissed Rika in a drunken stupor, Rika can't even look at him in the eye without blushing red to the roots of her hair and she didn't even know why! Marui, on the other hand, can't help snickering whenever he caught sight of Yukimura which is nearly every tennis practice and during break time as the tennis club regulars always ate together, along with Riku and Sora.

Fortunately for Rika, Yukimura can't remember a single thing on that day when he somehow got himself drunk. He found himself waking up the next day in his bed with a serious hangover and forced by his mother to stay in bed the whole day.

Though the entire tennis club did wonder why their Ice Princess blushed furiously whenever she got within twenty feet of their buchou and why Marui always snickered madly whenever he caught sight of both Yukimura and Rika. Sanada muttered something about Marui having too much sugar that day and assigned him to run laps which he did, giggling away the entire time.

Yukimura did wondered out loud, along with the rest of the regulars why Marui and Rika acted so funny around him and even tried to ask Marui. Marui merely took one look at him and burst out laughing whilst Rika usually blushed red and grabbed the nearest person who often turned out to be Kirihara as they're the two youngest among the regulars and muttered something about practice.

Nearly a week after that 'incident', Rika's class had a swimming lesson which Rika usually hated as boys would always be leering at her as her class shared their swimming lessons with a second year class which happens to be Kirihara's class.

Rika sighed, leaning with her head tilted backwards against the edge of the swimming pool. Riku and Sora, as usual, they were competing with each other to see who will win in a swimming race with both boys and girls in their class cheering for them. Several of the second years were laughing as well as they watched the two boys competing against each other.

Rika sighed as she covered her eyes with her hand before removing her hand again and a face appeared upside-down in her vision and she blinked before turning around to see Kirihara squatting by the edge of the pool, grinning at her.

"Kirihara-sempai? What is it?"

"I thought that you'll be running by now," said Kirihara with a grin, getting into the water next to Rika.

Rika blinked. "Why?"

Kirihara blinked. "Oh. I forgot that you came from overseas, thus, you wouldn't know." He mused. "Today is White Day."

Rika blinked in confusion. "White Day?"

"Didn't you receive any love letters or letters with poems declaring their undying love for you or even gifts of chocolates or flowers?" asked Kirihara.

Rika rolled her eyes, remembering what had happened that morning. As usual, she had met Riku and Sora that morning at her locker before going for morning practice with the tennis club. The moment that she opened her locker, a 'waterfall' of love letters dropped out. And her desk in her classroom was so crowded with flowers and chocolates that she gave away about half of them to her female classmates who giggled to themselves at the sight of Rika's exasperated face who didn't even know why they were so excited. Hell, some of them even wore lipstick, for the love of kami-sama!

"I did," said Rika with exasperation. "I had to clear my locker three times today, or it will burst with the number of love letters that I'd received."

Kirihara grinned. "White Day is a day when boys give gifts to girls that they liked," he explained. "I think it's similar to Valentine's Day which Americans celebrated."

Rika blinked. "I see..."

Kirihara grinned. "If you need a place to hide later during lunch, come by the sakura tree," he said, getting out of the water. "Trust me, you'll need it."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Most of the tennis regulars were gathered beneath the sakura tree when Rika came running, a panicked look on her face. Yagyuu blinked in confusion. "Rika?"

"Sempai! Be a good friend and hide me!" Rika nearly begged and right on cue, around the corner came a group of boys before Rika took off running again just as Marui arrived with Yukimura and Sanada.

"Where's Rika?"

Yagyuu jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "She's running from her fan club."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Practice:_

The non-regulars were pretty scared of Rika that day as it looks as if laser beams would come out of her eyes at any moment. She totally slaughtered the non-regulars in training that day and every single one of them were severely traumatised after training with Rika, in severe need of psychological help, all bleating like a sheep.

As usual, after training and when the club was dismissed, leaving only the regulars who had long changed into their school uniforms, Yanagi and Sanada pointed out to each individual their flaws which they have to correct when the seniors suddenly realised that it's extremely quiet over at Kirihara's side when the sophomore would usually be asking questions left and right only to see their Ice Princess leaning against Kirihara's shoulder, fast asleep, and the sophomore was looking extremely petrified.

A faint hint of jealously flashed across Yukimura's eyes, but it was gone so quickly that only Yanagi, Marui, Yagyuu, Niou and Sanada noticed. "I guess she's exhausted because of all the running that she had to do earlier," said Yagyuu before crouching down next to the bench that Rika was sitting on and shaking her shoulder gently. "Rika? Rika-chan? Wake up."

Rika rubbed her eyes. "Huh?"

Yagyuu sighed. "Practice is over."

"Y-Yeah," muttered Rika before a ringtone blared out from her blue flip-cellphone. The song of the ringtone was unknown to most of the regulars present as they aren't that familiar with English songs.

"_Kiss me sweet...I'm sleeping in silence...all alone...in ice—"_

"Hello? Mom?" Rika answered the phone before frowning as she listened to whatever her mother had to say. "WHY A PARTY?!" She nearly shrieked, causing all boys present to wince at her sudden rage. "I'm not going! Not even with blackmail! Eh?" Rika blinked. "Aunt Ryoko? But—" Rika groaned to herself. "Fine..."

"A party, Rika?" said Yagyuu with amusement.

"Yeah," said Rika with a sigh. "Something about meeting my aunt and uncle and their son. I hadn't seen them for a long time now...ever since I was five, I think." She picked up her bag from the bench. "I have to go. See you tomorrow."

The tennis regulars nodded before Marui chased after Rika to accompany her home. Yagyuu frowned. "That's strange," he said.

"What's strange?" asked Jackal.

"Sanada and I are invited to one tonight as well."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Echizen Residence:_

"Mom!" Rika called out the moment she entered her house after saying goodbye to Marui who had dropped her off at her front door. "What's this about a party?"

Karupin meowed as he sat at Rika's feet and Rinko smiled brightly as she turned towards Rika whilst Ryoga had two formal suits in his hands, looking from one to the other. "Your Aunt Ryoko is my older sister," said Rinko. "She and her husband, Keisuke, were really fond of you and they always visited us when you were little when we were living in California. Have you forgotten? You and Ryoga used to play with their son, Kei, all the time. Ryoko is really fond of you, you know? Karupin is a gift from her when they have to move to Japan when their business expanded, as well as all those dresses and jewellery that she always sent for your birthdays and Christmas."

Rika blinked when a very vague memory that she recalled of a boy a few years older than herself with silver-gray hair playing with herself and her brother when they were little. "And I've gotten you a dress," said Rinko with excitement, taking a dress from out of nowhere and pressing it against Rika to see if she can fit into the dress.

The dress was a simple and elegant sleeveless white dress which reaches to her knees with light blue ribbons to tie the dress on her shoulders. Rinko even bought a silver butterfly necklace to match with the dress, along with white short-heeled shoes and a butterfly bracelet.

Whilst Nanako was busy helping Ryoga to get ready by gelling his hair so that it wouldn't be 'all over the place', much to his displeasure, Rinko was helping Rika to get ready, with Karupin meowing with the excitement from the two older women in the house. Rika don't like formal parties a lot, though she don't mind wearing dresses, though she do hate seeing the leering eyes of boys around her age on her which is why Ryoga usually went with her as her chaperone during parties.

Rinko then helped to curl Rika's hair with the help of curling tongs and twisted Rika's blackish-green hair up into a French twist, with the rest of her hair trailing down her back before putting on dangling earrings with a tiny butterfly pendant hanging from it to match her necklace and bracelet.

Rinko then nodded in satisfaction as she admired her handiwork. "You're ready," she said.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"There sure are a lot of people," said Rika in wonder, looking at the number of guests milling about in the garden of the mansion where the party was held. Long tables covered with white cloths were overloaded with luxurious food and waiters dressed smartly in tuxedos were waltzing among the crowd with a tray in one hand, serving drinks to the guests.

"Imouto-chan!" A cheerful voice called out and the Echizen family turned to see a beautiful woman in her thirties wearing a formal dress coming towards Rika's mother, a smile on her face. A tall man with silver-gray hair and gray eyes dressed in a tuxedo followed her, smiling at them.

"Neesan!" said Rinko in delight before the woman whom Rika guessed was her aunt hugged her mother.

"Long time so see, Keisuke," said Nanjirou and Keisuke laughed.

"Yeah. Still reading those perverted books of yours?" he asked with a teasing tone.

"Konichiwa, ojii-san, obaa-san," said Rika and Ryoga, bowing politely to them.

Ryoko nearly squealed with delight as she enveloped Rika in a hug before pushing her back a little to look at her up and down. "Rika-chan! I've missed you so much! That cute little girl had now grown into a beautiful swan! You look so beautiful!" Ryoko nearly squealed. "I won't be surprised if all the young men here will be asking you for a dance before the night is over!"

Keisuke laughed, nodding as he looked at Rika and Ryoga. "Not if Ryoga is around, Ryoko," he said. "Or have you forgotten how overprotective he can be even when they're little?"

"That reminds me," said Ryoko, looking around the crowd in the garden, searching for someone. "Keisuke, have you seen Kei-chan?"

"I saw him with his friends a while ago," said Keisuke. "Those from his tennis team. But I have no idea where they've gone to..." He mused.

Rika and Ryoga's attention perked up at the mention of tennis.

"Ryoga. Rika," said their mother. "Why don't you two go and socialise with the guests while we do some catching up with your aunt and uncle? Ryoga, keep an eye on your sister."

"Hai," said Ryoga and Rika in unison before the two siblings walked off, Ryoga holding his sister's hand to make sure that she don't wander off and get lost.

**

* * *

**"There sure are a lot of people, nii-san," said Rika in wonder, looking at all the people milling about. "Ryoko-obaa-san and Keisuke-ojii-san must be very rich."

"I agree," said Ryoga, looking at the elegant-looking statues in the fountain in the middle of the garden.

"Ara?" Rika blinked as she caught sight of a handsome silver-haired teen standing by one of the tables with a beautiful woman who looked a lot like him. "Riku?"

Said teen blinked before turning around and seeing Rika. "Rika?"

"What are you doing here?" asked Rika.

"Ryoko-san invited my mother," explained Riku, placing his glass of coke onto a passing waiter's tray. "She's one of their business partners."

"Is she the one that you're always talking about, Riku?" asked the woman beside him with a gentle voice, smiling at Ryoga and Rika.

"Hai," said Riku with a nod. "Rika, this is my mother, Satochi Ayumi."

"Nice to meet you, Satochi-san," said Rika with a bow. "I'm Echizen Rika. This is my brother, Echizen Ryoga."

"Nice to meet you," said Ayumi with a smile. "But just call me Ayumi-san. Riku told me a lot about you, and even showed me some of the pictures that Sora-kun took of the three of you. But I've never been able to meet you in person before. You're cuter in personal."

"Huh?"

"Are you sure that you hadn't mistaken her for someone else, Ayumi-san?" asked Ryoga with a grin before Rika jabbed him sharply in the ribs. "Itai!"

"Nii-san..." Rika growled menacingly.

Ayumi laughed. "Please take care of my son for me, Rika-chan," she said. "Riku, I'm going to meet Ryoko-san for a moment or two."

"Hai," said Riku with a nod before his mother walked away. "What are you doing here, Rika?"

Rika blinked. "My aunt and uncle own this place," she said and Riku nearly choked on his drink. "They've invited us here since we hadn't seen each other for a long time."

"I see..."

"Riku?" questioned Rika and Riku looked at her. "Can I ask you a question?" Riku nodded. "I've heard you talk about your mother a lot, but I've never heard you mention your father before."

Riku's face fell as he looked at Rika. "Sora didn't tell you?" he asked and Rika shook her head. "My parents divorced when I was little. I don't know why as well, but Mum always looked really sad whenever I asked."

"Oh," muttered Rika, suddenly feeling bad. "Sorry."

"Never mind," said Riku with a charming smile before he looked at something over Rika's shoulder. "Hmm? Is that Yagyuu-sempai and Sanada-sempai?"

"Huh?" Rika turned around to see her two tennis seniors standing not too far away from them by a table.

Said two blinked as they turned and saw Rika. "Rika?"

"Sempai!" muttered Rika. "What are you doing here?"

"We were invited here," explained Yagyuu. "The Sanada and Yagyuu families are business partners with the Atobe Corps."

Rika blinked. _'Atobe?'_

"I see that you're having fun, Sanada, Yagyuu," said a voice and Rika's eye twitched dangerously as she turned to see the one person that she don't ever want to see again. Atobe Keigo. And behind him were the rest of Hyotei's tennis regulars – those that she had met when she first accompanied Riku to Hyotei for his music coaching.

"And I see that you're having fun as well, hime-san," said Atobe, bowing to Rika in a gentlemanly way, not noticing her twitching eye.

"Not with you around," said Rika bluntly.

Riku coughed to cover up his snickers and Ryoga turned his face away so that Rika would not notice him trying to hold back his laughter. Yagyuu and Sanada were the only ones who managed to cover up their amusement whilst the rest of the Hyotei team looked on with amusement. One boy wearing a blue cap from back to front covered his mouth, trying to hold back his laughter.

Atobe twitched, but managed to school his features. _'Calm down. A beautiful prey is always difficult to catch.'_

Ryoga snickered silently and Riku was grinning. The boy wearing the blue cap was no longer holding himself back as he roared with laughter.

"Hahahahahahahahaha!"

The rest of the Hyotei team was snickering as well, save for Jiroh who was sleeping and Kabaji who was as stoic as ever. Even Yagyuu and Sanada could not resist a smirk at this comical scene. Rika didn't get her name as 'Ice Princess' for nothing.

"What are you doing here anyway, hime-san?" asked Atobe, trying desperately to keep his smile.

"Wuahahahahahahahahahaha!" Shishido, Ryoga and Gakuto laughed louder.

Even Oshitari could not resist a smile and Ohtori could not help grinning. Yagyuu and Sanada were both finding it difficult to stay stoic and expressionless at this comical scene. Not many girls could resist Atobe Keigo like this. Echizen Rika is the first one who did that and Yagyuu grinned inwardly to himself; no wonder she got the name of 'Ice Princess' in Rikkaidai.

Rika looked at Atobe with a bored expression. "My aunt and uncle invited me here. They own this place. Happy?" she said.

'_Aunt and uncle?' _Atobe thought before a sudden thought strike him and he looked at Rika carefully. _'Don't tell me...'_

"Kei-kun!" called a voice and Rika turned to see her parents, as well as her aunt and uncle coming towards them. "You've found Rika-chan?"

Rika blinked rapidly. "Kei?" she muttered before putting two and two together and looking at her aunt. "Kei as in...Atobe Keigo?"

"Yes," said Ryoko. "He is my son. Don't you remember, Rika-chan? You used to play with him all the time."

Rika nearly groaned. _'Are the gods out to get ME?! Of all people, HE has to be my cousin?!'_

"I remember now," said Rika, regaining her composure. Riku grinned, wishing that he had a camera with him as the look on Atobe's face was pretty amusing. "You used to come to our house all the time when I was little. But..." Rika grinned evilly. "You still can't beat me in tennis then and now, right, _Kei-chan?"_

Oshitari blinked. "Kei-chan?" he muttered.

Atobe went pale. "Ah!" He waved his arms frantically to get his cousin to keep quiet. "Don't tell them that!"

Keisuke blinked, looking from his son to his niece. "Rika-chan, have you two met already?"

"Yeah," said Rika with a nod. "I met him when I went to Hyotei once to take Riku to his music coach."

Riku grinned. "Rika wasn't impressed with your wooing tactics, let me tell you," he said.

"So _that's_ who you've been sending all those chocolates and flowers to," muttered Ryoko.

Atobe sighed and smiled. At least he knew where his feelings stand now. When he had first met Echizen Rika at Hyotei, he can't help but find her familiar, but also can't understand the feelings that came up whenever he thought about her. What he felt about her isn't in the romantic sense, but towards the brother-sister type.

"You never change, Rika," said Atobe with a sigh. "You're known as the 'Ice Queen' back in California and as the 'Ice Princess' in Rikkaidai."

Rika's eye twitched. "And how is that your business?" she muttered and everyone burst into laughter.


	7. A Date!

**Chapter Seven: A Date!**

After that party, Rika can sometimes be seen with Riku and Sora at Hyotei – the first and the last accompanying their friend for his music training. And the fruits of his labour were starting to show as during Riku's club training, music which almost sounds as if it was played by a professional could be heard coming from the music club's room. Riku was especially proficient with particularly difficult pieces like The Devil's Trill, Fur Elise by Beethoven, Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky or a few of the famous classical pieces like The Phantom of the Opera.

Sometimes, when Riku was still practicing in the music clubroom long after Sora and Rika had finished their club practices, the two often went to the music clubroom to wait for him and usually listened to him playing his violin as well. Occasionally, a few of the tennis regulars would accompany Rika as they usually made sure that she reached home safely after training – somewhat of a rule made up by the male regulars of the tennis team. Yagyuu, who is a music lover as well, is one of the regular visitors to listen to the freshman playing, much to his embarrassment, and Riku's popularity among the female population in the school only rise, along with Rika's, who is a tennis regular.

Currently though, all the tennis regulars were rather irritated, especially with all the scouts and spies in the school after their performance in the districts and by now, word had been getting around all the other schools about a female freshman regular in Rikkaidai, though for obvious reasons, they didn't know her name.

Not one of the regulars were pleased, especially since they were followed EVERYWHERE they go in school, even to the bathroom. As a result, Yukimura gave the regulars a day off that day especially since with all the scouts present, they can't practice properly anyway.

And so, after class, Sora and Rika headed to the music clubroom together where Riku is having his music practice. Sora gaped at Rika as she told him about the party that she went to. "He's your _cousin?!" _Sora nearly snorted. "You have to be joking!"

"I know," said Rika with a chuckle. "I thought I found him familiar." She then looked towards the direction of the girls' tennis courts and stopped in her tracks, raising an eyebrow.

"What's wrong?" asked Sora, looking towards the tennis courts as well only to see an unknown boy in the school uniform of Yamabuki giggling and commenting about the girls in their school. "A pervert?"

Said pervert turned around just then and noticed Rika before grinning. With speed that was virtually impossible, the boy appeared in front of them in a split instant, grinning. The two freshmen blinked rapidly, feeling a tiny bit afraid of this grinning boy.

"Konichiwa!" he said in an extremely bright voice. "I'm Sengoku Kiyosumi from Sengoku! Are you the rumoured female freshman regular from the tennis club?!" He asked, directing this question to Rika who blinked. "You're as pretty as rumoured, no wonder they call you 'Ice Princess'." Sora snorted as Rika's eye twitched dangerously. "Say, how about we have a game right—"

Tired of his rambling, Rika punched him straight in the face which sent him through some bushes and walked off. "Let's go, Sora."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Tennis clubroom:_

Yukimura read through a waft of papers that he had just received from the Tennis Board regarding the upcoming Tokyo tournament and the participating schools. Yukimura has no doubts about the strength of his own team. Even Rika is good enough in skill to defeat Kirihara, thanks to Yanagi's crazy training as he'd put her through double the training that they usually do. And she's the fastest in speed, compared to the entire team right now, and was the only one in the entire tennis team, save for Yukimura and Yanagi who can see the movements of Sanada's Invisible Swing as well as his _Fuu Rin In Ka Zan Rai_ (Wind Forest Shadow Fire Mountain Lightning). Also, things in the club have gotten very interesting with Rika's presence.

"'Mura?" said a voice and Yukimura looked up as the door of the clubroom opened and Marui stepped in before going to his locker and opening it, unbuttoning his school uniform. "What's wrong?"

"Iie," said Yukimura, turning back to the papers in his hand, tapping his pen in a steady rhythm on the table. "I've just received the list of schools participating in the Tokyo tournament. Out of these 108 schools, only five can go to the Kantou tournament."

"Oh?" said Marui, pulling his tennis jersey over his head, adjusting the collar, looking over Yukimura's shoulder only to see that he had outlined a number of schools in red ink. One common point that all these schools had: they all have excellent tennis teams. "Now that I think about it, Rika was saying something about her brother training Seigaku."

Yukimura nodded. "Precisely," he said. "And no doubt that they'll be one of our top opponents in the future. Yanagi managed to get for us a videotape of Seigaku's matches during the district tournaments. The runner up during the district tournaments – Fudomine Middle High. They're good – easily on Seigaku's level, especially with Tachibana Kippei as their captain."

Marui nearly gaped. "Tachibana Kippei?!" he exclaimed. "The number two player in Kyushu, after Senri Chitose?! Are you sure? He's a National-level player, isn't he?"

Yukimura nodded. "I'm positive," he said. "Rika didn't recognise him because she lived in America nearly all her life, but I thought that there's something familiar about him when I saw the video that Yanagi got. I didn't recognise him at first because he wasn't blonde now, but it's him alright. With him as Fudomine's captain, they're bound to be good. We should step up our training. Since it's highly likely that Fudomine will be one of our future opponents, along with Seigaku."

"I see..." said Marui. "By the way, Yukimura."

"Hmm?"

"You like Rika, don't you?"

Yukimura nearly broke his pen as he heard Marui said that and the redhead was grinning from ear to ear. "H-How did you know that?"

"You never wondered why Rika couldn't look at you in the face without blushing ever since the districts?" asked Marui and Yukimura blinked. He _had _wondered why the girl wouldn't look at him. Did something happen that night? "You drank some sake by accident at the restaurant that night and since you lived the closest to Rika and myself compared to the rest of the team, we took you home. However, you ended up kissing Rika during your drunken stupor. That's why she couldn't look at you in the face."

"E-Eh?!" Yukimura flushed red.

Marui grinned. "Rika isn't very sociable. Sora and Riku are the only ones whom she mixed about with who _aren't _tennis players. I'm sure that you've noticed that." Yukimura nodded. "I'm pretty sure that she feels the same about you as well, since she didn't say anything about you kissing her by mistake to anyone."

Yukimura looked at Marui with an almost hopeful expression.

"Anyone with eyes can see that you like her in the romantic sense," said Marui with a sigh. "Do you still remember that time when she fell asleep against Akaya?" Yukimura nodded. "Nearly all of us, save for Akaya, since he was too petrified to move then, noticed that you got jealous. We only didn't say anything about it because we didn't feel that it's our business."

"Marui?"

"Rika likes Japanese food. I know a pretty good sushi restaurant in the Tokyo district which is near the street tennis courts that Rika and myself went to sometimes. Kawamura Sushi. Why don't you take her there? Besides, the Sakura Festival starts today, isn't it?"

"How do I ask her?" asked Yukimura, blinking.

"Who knows?" said Marui with an ear-shitting grin as he walked out of the clubroom, whistling.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

'_Rika, are you doing anything tonight- No. It sounds too old-fashioned. Rika, may I have the honour of- I'm not asking her out for a formal party or something. Gah! Why can't I find a way to ask her out WITHOUT making myself look like an idiot?!'_

Sanada raised an eyebrow as he eyed his best friend and captain from beside him as he watched the tennis club members practicing against each other. Yukimura may be looking at the practice, but he wasn't really seeing them as he seems deep in thought, unusual for the usually gentle and responsible captain.

Sanada looked from Yukimura to Marui who was playing a rally with Jackal – his doubles partner and sighed. _'I knew it. Marui must have something to do with it.' _He then looked to their female regular who was playing against Kirihara. _'And it must have something to do with Rika.'_

Sanada wasn't stupid; he knew that his best friend harboured feelings for their female regular. He only didn't say or do anything about it as he felt that it wasn't his business and this attraction of Yukimura's wasn't affecting the team or training in any way.

Sanada sighed and tapped Yukimura on the shoulder, startling him. "G-Genichirou?"

"Practice is over," said Sanada patiently and Yukimura blinked before taking a peek at his watch before clapping his hands together, causing everyone to turn their attention towards him.

"Alright. Practice is over for the day! First years, collect the balls and nets. Second years, clean the courts!"

"Hai!"

**

* * *

**After having a quick shower and changing into her school uniform, Rika stepped out of the female locker room which the rest of the female tennis team used as well, but the practice times for the boys' and girls' tennis teams were different, and as such, no one was around when Rika was using the changing room.

Yukimura was waiting for her outside the changing room when Rika stepped out and she blinked. "Buchou? What is it?"

Unknown to Rika and Yukimura, the rest of the regulars were hiding behind a wall not too far away from them. Marui and Niou were the ones who had initiated it, dragging the rest of the regulars along for the ride.

"Erm..." muttered Yukimura, blushing red. "Are...are you free tonight?"

Rika blinked rapidly. "Huh?"

"I-It's the S-Sakura Festival tonight," said Yukimura, fidgeting about. "A-And I know a pretty good restaurant in the Tokyo district. A-Are you free to go with me?"

Rika blinked. "Date?"

Yukimura's blush deepened. "Y-Yeah."

"Okay," said Rika and Yukimura looked at her. Rika was smiling slightly. "What should I wear?"

Yukimura was smiling now. "A kimono or something," he said. "It's a festival day, after all. I'll come and pick you up at your house at six."

"Alright."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_Date?!" _Nanjirou nearly howled and his howl echoed through the entire mansion and Rika wouldn't be surprised if the entire Kanagawa district heard it too.

Rika winced as she uncovered her ears and looked at her father. At least her brother had taken it a lot better than her overprotective father did, though he was muttering something about going along with her to the Sakura Festival in the Tokyo district with his girlfriend from college. What is her name again? Fuji Yumiko?

Rika sighed as her father started yelling something about not letting some 'perverted teenage boy getting close to his precious princess' and Karupin meowed, a hint of amusement in the 'meow'. "Mum?" Rika turned to her mother. "Can you do something about this?"

Rinko sighed before pulling on Nanjirou's ear, causing the man to give out a cry of pain. "Nanji-kun!" Rinko frowned at her husband. "For the love of kami-sama, your daughter is old enough to know better and not do things that she shouldn't! Don't you want Rika to find a nice boy to marry someday?"

Rika blushed red. This was definitely _not_ what she expected her mother to be saying.

"Oyaji, don't worry," said Ryoga with a grin. "I'll be going with Yumiko-chan too. Even if I wouldn't be close to chibisuke all the time, I can at least keep an eye on them."

Nanjirou huffed. "Fine!" he said.

"With that..." said Nanako, turning to Rika. "Do you want me to help you to pick out a kimono?"

Rika nodded.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

DING! DONG!

"Coming!" said Ryoga who was already dressed in a gray kimono with lilacs as he rushed to the front door and opened it only to see a wavy blue-haired teen dressed in a pale green kimono with a dragonfly pattern. "Are you Yukimura Seiichi-kun?"

Yukimura nodded with a charming smile. "Hai!"

Ryoga grinned and stepped aside to let him in. "Come in," he said. "Rika will be down in a moment."

Yukimura nodded before entering the house.

"And by the way," said Ryoga with a sigh. "I hate to tell you this, but Dad set some ground rules for you to follow whilst you take my baby sister out on a date."

Yukimura blinked. "Huh?"

"Dad is er...currently occupied," said Ryoga sheepishly. "So he got me to tell you. First, no doing things that you shouldn't be doing." Yukimura blushed. "No bringing chibisuke to a desolate place. And bring her back before ten."

"Buchou?"

Yukimura and Ryoga turned towards the stairs only to blink as they saw Rika making her way down. Rinko and Nanako had taken great pains to dress Rika up for her date, much to her embarrassment. Sure, she don't mind wearing dresses occasionally, but she drew the line at make-up which was what her mother and cousin put for her.

Rika was currently dressed in a dark blue and white kimono with golden koi fish patterns on it. All of Rika and Ryoga's kimonos were hand-sewn by Rinko and this particular kimono was Rika's favourite and also happened to be Karupin's favourite as well...for a reason that Rika didn't want to know. Pretty butterfly hairclips were in Rika's hair and a small white paper fan with a golden koi fish painted on it went with the kimono.

Yukimura stared. He was very much familiar with the tennis player that Rika was and he, along with the rest of the regulars had seen her in her school uniform plenty of times, but this is the first time that he had seen Rika in feminine clothing that brought out her true feminine features.

Ryoga whistled. "Chibisuke, you look great!" he said. "Mom and Nanako sure did wonders on you!"

Rika stared at Yukimura with curious eyes. "Buchou?"

Yukimura snapped out of his daze. "Er...right. You look...great, Rika. Ryoga-san, we'll be going now," he said and Ryoga nodded.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Tokyo District:_

The streets of Tokyo were already decorated with the festival's ornaments and there were already several game stalls. Rika who had never been to a Japan festival before stared around in delight and Yukimura chuckled at the look on her face.

"Is this your first time at a festival in Japan?"

"Hai," said Rika with a nod. "I spent most of my life in America and we don't have festivals like this over there."

Nearly ten feet behind Yukimura and Rika were the rest of Rikkaidai's regulars who were ducking behind a stall, much to the bewildered stall keeper's confusion. Marui was wearing a dark blue kimono with white lilacs, Yagyuu was wearing a light green kimono with floral patterns, Kirihara was wearing a dark blue kimono with coloured balls imprinted on it, Niou was wearing a dark green kimono with white clouds on it, Jackal was wearing a gray kimono with simple patterns on it, Yanagi was wearing a dark blue kimono with dragonfly patterns and Sanada was wearing a dark blue kimono with leaf patterns.

"You know, Marui," said Yagyuu with a sigh, pushing his glasses up his nose. "If Yukimura and Rika found out that we're following them, it won't be so pleasant. You _do _remember what Rika did to you the last time that you pissed her off, do you?"

Nearly the entire team shivered at the memory during one of Rika's PMS times when Marui unknowingly did something to piss her off.

"You're here, alright, Sanada," said a voice and the team turned to see Atobe standing behind them with his Hyotei team, all dressed in kimonos as well.

Niou blinked, staring at the Hyotei buchou and his team. "What are you guys doing here?" asked the Trickster.

Atobe smirked. "What? I can't watch over my baby cousin?"

As one, the entire Rikkaidai team blinked, save for Sanada and Yagyuu who knew of their relationship. "HUH?!"

"Rika-chan is my cousin," explained Atobe. "Our mothers are sisters. I heard from Ryoga that Yukimura asked her out, and since he'll be off somewhere with his girlfriend, I offered to keep an eye on them so that Nanjirou-jii-san don't freak out."

"I see..." mused Kirihara.

"But still..." said Atobe with a smirk. "I didn't expect for Sanada to join you on this as well."

Sanada only grunted. He didn't think that it'll be a good thing if Atobe Keigo of all people found out that he was blackmailed by Niou and Marui to join in on this.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Yukimura and Rika had a great time together, going to all the stalls getting ice cream, cotton candy, takoyaki, okonomiyaki as well as going to several of the game stalls and Rika proved to be extremely good in the throwing dart game as her hand and eyes were extremely sharp and fast, thanks to her tennis training. Yukimura proved to be surprisingly good at the catching fish game which a paper scoop was given to them and they have to get a goldfish out _without_ the paper breaking which Yukimura did with no problem as he was quite flexible. And he caught two fishes at the same time which is quite a feat which he gave to Rika who was delighted with it and the two walked away from the stall, leaving the poor stall keeper inspecting the scoop which Yukimura had used to see if he had tampered with it in any way.

Finally, Yukimura led Rika up to the top of the hill which overlooks the entire Tokyo and the lights shining below was a beautiful sight and Rika breathed in wonder, wishing that she had her camera with her. "Beautiful..." she said in wonder.

Yukimura chuckled. "It is, isn't it? In Kanagawa, we can see beautiful sunsets atop the hill or from the rooftop of Rikkaidai, but the view here is one of the best in Japan." He stretched slightly. "A long time ago, when Sanada, Yanagi and myself won our first official match as regulars when we're freshmen, we came here. I've came here a few times myself since then to watch the sunset or to see the lights, but it seems different every time."

Marui, Niou and Atobe sweat dropped behind some bushes and Atobe resisted the urge to bash his head against a tree. "Yukimura..." muttered Marui incredulously. "For the love of kami-sama...you're great and all in tennis, but you're _hopeless _when it comes to love!"

"Shh!" said Yanagi, hushing them.

"Marui told me," said Yukimura and Rika looked at him. "What had happened that night when we won the districts at Kanagawa."

Rika blushed and Yukimura chuckled.

"Now I understand why you can't even look at me in the face for days after that," said Yukimura.

The Rikkaidai and Hyotei teams blinked in confusion. "What happened?" they asked as one, turning to Marui who grinned.

"Watch and you'll know soon," he said.

"How about we re-enact that scene?" asked Yukimura with a chuckle as he stepped closer to Rika, causing her back to come in contact with a tree, both his hands on either side of her head, imprisoning her.

Rika's eyes widened as Yukimura dipped his head down and came into direct contact with her lips, kissing her tenderly. Her eyes slid shut as Yukimura wrapped his left arm around her waist and brought her closer to him, their tongues entangled in a dance. They were both lost in their own world when suddenly...

"ATCHOO!"

Both Yukimura and Rika broke away from each other, turning towards the bushes from which the sound was coming from and the two exchanged looks before going towards the bush only to see the rest of Rikkaidai's tennis regulars and Hyotei's tennis team with Niou with a hand around Marui's mouth, trying to muffle his sneezing.

Rika blushed red before her eye twitched dangerously. "Sempai-tachi..." she growled, readying a fist and the remaining of Rikkaidai's tennis club gulped nervously. "YOU WERE PEEPING?!"

A flock of birds took flight from fright in the nearest tree.

Yukimura cleared his throat and Rikkaidai gulped as they stared at their obviously not very happy captain. "You will be running a hundred laps around the tennis courts tomorrow," he said. "ALL of you."


	8. A Chaotic Day

**Chapter Eight: A Chaotic Day**

"Haven't you had enough music pieces already, Riku?" asked Sora with exasperation as the trio walked out of the school.

School had just finished for the day and the tennis club regulars were given a day off that day from training. Riku had just caught Sora and Rika just before they could go off, asking them to accompany him to a music store to get some new violin pieces for his upcoming concert.

It was just a week after the Sakura Festival and needless to say, the entire school was sent into an uproar when they caught wind of the fact that Yukimura and Rika were dating. Both were some of the most popular students in the school – Yukimura because of his good looks and because he's the tennis club captain – and Rika because she's the only female regular in the boys' tennis club and because she usually helped her peers when they were bullied by the seniors. She's about the only freshman who dared to go against her seniors without fear of retaliation.

Fortunately for Rika, the girls and boys in her year level defended her fiercely from any of the sophomore or senior girls who dared to try anything and besides, the tennis club won't take it lying down if any of them dared to try anything.

"I can't get the pitch of The Devil's Trill to sound right," said Riku. "And if I can't use that for the competition, then I have to find others as good as that piece."

Sora cocked his head to one side, frowning. "It sounds alright to me," he said. "Ne, Rika?"

Rika nodded. "Even Yagyuu-sempai said that even he can't play The Devil's Trill as well as you did."

"It somehow...don't sit right with me," said Riku. "The pitch of it, I mean."

Sora and Rika sighed loudly as one. "Fine!" said Rika, exasperated. "We'll go with you. I'm not very familiar with violin pieces, so I won't be able to help you with that."

"Rika?"

The three freshmen blinked before turning and saw a hazel-brown haired girl leaning against the wall at the entrance of their school, dressed in the uniform of Fudomine Middle High. Rika blinked, recognising the girl. "Ann?"

"Konichiwa," said Ann, with a slight bow to the two boys who bowed back. She then turned to Rika. "I was getting tired of hanging around boys all day. I want some female company for a change and you're the only girl whom I know. Care to compile?"

"Go on ahead, Rika," said Sora, clapping a hand on Rika's shoulder. "We'll be alright by ourselves."

And before Rika could protest, Ann had dragged her away.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ann snorted with laughter, finishing the last of her ice-cream. "He punished the _entire _team with a hundred laps?" she asked. "With them carrying a pail of water in each hand?"

Rika grinned and nodded. "Seiichi wasn't pleased when he knew that they were peeping on us, I can tell you," she said. "Apparently, Niou-sempai had recorded everything only to have Seiichi confiscate his camera. They can hardly move once Seiichi was satisfied with their punishment."

Ann grinned. "Ooh...intimate much?" she asked.

Rika blushed. "Urusai," she said. "We only address each other by name outside of practice and school. This is to prevent tongues from wagging."

Ann nodded. "Having a relationship with the captain of your team can be tiring," she said.

After leaving Rikkaidai, both girls had caught the train to the Tokyo district and had spent some time exploring the area since Rika had never been to Tokyo much and during the rare occasions when she did, she usually only went to the street tennis courts or during that time during the Sakura Festival.

"How's the Fudomine tennis team?" asked Rika.

Ann smiled. "They're stepping up their training," she said. "Of course, I didn't mention anything about you being from Rikkaidai." She winked. "I know what it's like to keep a low profile. Though if Fudomine managed to get into the Kantou tournament, we'll face your school soon enough."

Rika nodded. "I'm looking forward to it," she said. "It's a pity that you couldn't play with Fudomine though."

Ann shrugged. "It's okay," she said.

"GET BACK HERE, YOU THIEF!!"

"Huh?"

Both girls turned as one towards the voice only to blink as a gust of wind and a black blur whizzed past them, with a black and white blur following not far behind. Rika and Ann blinked slowly before Ann found her voice. "Is that...Seigaku's Momoshiro?" she asked. "With Kamio-kun?"

"I think so," said Rika, nodding slowly. "What are they doing?"

"Saa," said Ann with a shrug before sighing. "Boys. I will never understand them." She looked at Rika. "Shall we go to the street tennis courts?"

Rika nodded.

**

* * *

**Ann laughed as Rika told her what had happened at the party where she had met her uncle and aunt as well as her cousin as they walked up the steps leading to the street tennis courts. "The 'Ice King' of Hyotei actually got rejected?" she snickered.

Rika laughed. "Kei isn't so bad," she said. "He's just brought up to think that way."

Ann laughed, nodding. "Granted," she said. "I wonder what he looks like though."

Rika sighed, noticing a certain Hyotei captain and his eternal bodyguard just in front of them. "The shorter of the two over there," she said, jerking her chin towards the courts where Atobe's eternal bodyguard was playing against two boys – Momoshiro and Kamio.

Ann frowned. "Izumi, what is going on?" she asked a boy standing by the side, watching the match.

Izumi sighed. "His Royal Highness," he said, jerking a thumb towards Atobe's direction, "came here, playing a match with every single one of us, defeating every one of us with 6-0, then that Seigaku guy and his friend came here and decided to play against that giant."

Rika frowned. "What's the catch?"

Izumi blinked. "Er...Momoshiro and that Kamio guy only have to score one point against that giant to win," he said.

Rika sighed, rubbing her temples.

"Boys," she muttered and Ann nodded, agreeing with her.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Fuji Yuuta frowned, tapping the toe of his shoe repeatedly on the floor as he dialled the number that Information had gotten for him of the residence of the girl – Rika – whom he had met at the street tennis courts that day. Since then, she had been appearing at the street tennis courts at a regular basis and had occasionally played together with Yuuta, the latter who enjoyed her company as she wasn't like other girls and he hadn't been able to win a game against her at all, though he did manage to get a point or two against her.

"_Moshi moshi?" _said a male voice at the other end of the line.

"Konichiwa," said Yuuta. "May I speak to Echizen Rika, please?"

"_Who is this speaking?"_

"I'm a friend of hers," said Yuuta. "Fuji Yuuta."

"_**A BOY?!" **_Yuuta pulled the phone away from his ear in alarm, as the man's voice could be heard loud and clear even by the surrounding people and all his teammates watched with amusement as Yuuta had a look of horror on his face.

"_Nanji-kun, let go of the phone!" _was what Yuuta heard as he placed the phone back to his ear.

"_Meow!"_

A series of thuds later, the phone was picked up again and Yuuta blinked slowly, wondering if he should call back at a later time. Rika had told him how eccentric her father could be, but he didn't expect for the legendary Samurai Nanjirou to be this...childish.

"_Moshi moshi?" _said a female voice this time. _"Who is this?"_

Yuuta blinked. "Erm...Fuji Yuuta," he said. "May I speak to Rika please?"

"_Rika is not in at the moment," _said the voice whom Yuuta assumed was her mother. _"I'll get her to call you back later. Is that okay?"_

"H-Hai." _Click._

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

And so, when Marui dropped Rika off at her front door, the girl received a piece of very surprising news from her mother. "Honey, you've received a phone call earlier during your club training," said Rinko.

"Phone call?" repeated Rika, blinking, wondering who that is. It can't be any of the regulars in her tennis team as they would call her cellphone, each of them having had the experience of having her father yell down the phone at them if he ever answered the phone when they were calling. "Who is it?"

"It's from a boy named Fuji Yuuta," said her mother, passing a piece of paper to her on which was scribbled a name and a phone number. "Best if you call him back."

"Hai," said Rika as she walked up the stairs to her room and Karupin meowed as she entered her room, leaping off her desk and rubbed himself against Rika's ankles. Rika chuckled as she scratched Karupin behind his ears. "Tadaima, Karupin."

Rika then settled herself at her desk before dialling a number on her cellphone. Three rings later, the phone was picked up. _"Moshi moshi?"_

Rika smiled. "Yuuta? It's me."

"_Rika?!" _said Yuuta. _"Thank god!"_

Rika laughed. "I take it that you encountered my father?"

Mumbles on the other end of the line answered her question.

"Sorry," said Rika. "I should have given you my cellphone number. My father tends to...overreact whenever boys telephoned me. What did you call me for anyway?"

"_Oh," _said Yuuta. _"My school is having our first official match tomorrow for the Tokyo tournament. If we win our first two matches, we'll get to face Seigaku. Can you come?" _He asked hopefully.

Rika frowned. "I should be able to, if I don't have tennis practice tomorrow," she said. "We've just won our last match three days ago, thus, buchou should give us a day off tomorrow. Your school is St. Rudolph, isn't it?"

"_Hai," _said Yuuta. _"And I might be able to face my brother." _He said hopefully. _"I'm in singles three."_

"Okay," said Rika with a smile. "I will come if I can make it. Ganbatte, Yuuta."

"_Aa." Click._

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"This is the place, right?" said Sora and Rika nodded, looking at all the tennis players gathered at the tennis park where the tennis matches for the schools in the Tokyo district were currently held. Sora, Rika and Riku had came straight from school as the regulars were given a day off that day and all three freshmen were currently in their school uniforms.

"Rika?"

Rika turned to see Ann coming towards her and her face brightened. "Ann!"

"What are you doing here?" asked Ann, coming towards her friend.

"My friend is playing in a match today," explained Rika. "I just wanted to see him play. Do you know where St. Rudolph's match is being held?"

Ann nodded. "I think they're in the middle of doubles one now," she mused. "Fudomine's next opponent won't be announced for some time, so I'll come with you."

**

* * *

**The four arrived at their destination just as the referee was calling the score of doubles one: 7-6, the victors being St. Rudolph's Akazawa-Kaneda pair. Ann gasped, stopping in her tracks as the three Rikkaidai freshmen and the sole Fudomine girl watched Oishi Shuichiro carried Kikumaru Eiji off the courts, the latter so exhausted that he couldn't even move.

"The Golden Pair lost?!" gasped Ann. "Impossible!"

"It seems to be a close one as well," noted Rika, noticing the scores on the board and the less-than-pleased expression on the face of St. Rudolph's manager – Mizuki Hajime was his name, she recalled, hearing about him from Yanagi when the senior heard that Rika will be watching St. Rudolph's matches.

Riku and Sora both nodded, noticing the tired and exhausted expressions on the faces of the St. Rudolph's team captain and his doubles partner. Rika then spotted Yuuta sitting on the grass, tying his shoelaces and walked over to him, ignoring the curious looks of the other St. Rudolph's tennis players.

"Yuuta."

Yuuta looked up and his face broke into a smile when he saw Rika. "Rika!" he said. "You came after all."

Rika smiled and nodded. "Of course," she said. "You're up next?"

Yuuta nodded. "It's one win and one loss for St. Rudolph so far," he said. "If we can win singles three and singles two, we'll get to qualify for the semi-finals."

"Ganbatte," said Rika and Yuuta nodded, standing up, taking his tennis racquet with him. "Who's your opponent?"

"That freshman," said Yuuta, jerking his chin towards Seigaku's freshman who was tying his shoelaces together before tying his silver hair which just brushes against his shoulders into a short ponytail. "Shinderui Shiki. He's going to be a tough one."

"Is he a lefty?" asked Rika, knowing of Yuuta's nickname as the 'Left Hand Killer'.

Yuuta frowned. "I think so," he said slowly. "I've heard of two left-handers in Seigaku and since their captain, Tezuka-san is one of them, the other must be that kid. But either way, I'll still win."

And he then entered the courts.

Rika turned her gaze towards Seigaku's side only to see her brother standing with them and he smiled and nodded to her before she directed her gaze towards Yuuta's match. Sora smiled as he looked at the two tennis players in the courts.

'_Show me what you've got, cousin,' _he thought.

Rika watched as the two players walked towards the net before grasping the hands of each other in a brief handshake. As Yuuta turned around, Shiki turned his head, tapping the frame of his racquet on his shoulder.

"Hey, you're Fuji-sempai's otoutou, right?" he said, a faint hint of a smirk on his lips. "I wonder which one of you is stronger. This will be fun."

The three other Seigaku freshmen paled. _'He did that on purpose!'_

Riku and Ann sweat dropped. They wondered if he was simply brave or incredibly dense. Sora sweat dropped, trying to resist the urge to bash his head against the nearest tree and Rika twitched.

"Must this be the time to make your opponent hate you?" she muttered.

Yuuta twitched, glaring at Shiki before seeing that Rika as well as his brother were both watching the match and relaxed his muscles a little. They were both watching. He can't lose here.

"One set match!" called the umpire. "St. Rudolph's Fuji to serve!"

**

* * *

**Rika paled, clutching the wire of the fence and the surrounding St. Rudolph's tennis players looked at her curiously, along with Ann, Sora and Riku. She knew what that shot that Yuuta had used is.

The Twist Spin Shot.

'_Yuuta...I've __**told**__ you not to use it!'_

She caught sight of the back of Mizuki Hajime and narrowed her eyes dangerously. _'Is it him? The one that had taught Yuuta that dangerous shot?'_

Back on the courts, Shiki was looking a little angry as well as he narrowed his eyes, looking at the spot where the Twist Spin Shot had landed. Rika frowned. _'Did he know? How dangerous that shot is?'_

Rika glanced towards the Seigaku regulars and saw that out of the remaining tennis regulars, only two others knew, other than the freshman – one was the captain, Tezuka Kunimitsu. The other was Yuuta's own brother, Fuji Syusuke.

That look on the tensai Fuji Syusuke's face was one that promised retribution and Rika smirked as she saw him directing this gaze to the smug looking Mizuki Hajime. She almost pitied Mizuki. Almost. And if Mizuki had any brains at all, he'd better pray to himself that he'll be able to walk out alive and _sane _afterwards.

**

* * *

**"Game and match! Won by Seigaku's Shinderui, 6-4!"

"Hey Rika," said Sora, noting the look on one of the Seigaku regulars' faces. The one called Fuji. "That Fuji looks extremely angry. Why?"

Rika sighed. "It's that Twist Spin Shot," she answered. "Yuuta used that move on me once when we were playing against each other at street tennis some months ago. That shot is dangerous. If used with an arm that is not fully structured, it can damage his arm and shoulder or worse..." She narrowed her eyes. "...end his tennis career."

**

* * *

**Fuji Syusuke was nearly spitting fire; he was downright _furious. _And any person who had even half a brain was keeping _far away _from the tensai as he was giving off such an icy aura that all Seigaku members wisely kept their distance, even Tezuka, and Shiki who was handed his water bottle by Momoshiro blinked as he saw his sempai's normally kind and gentle face turned cold and angry.

Rika almost laughed when she saw Fuji and Mizuki enter the courts, but not before smacking Yuuta over the head for making her worry like that and for using the Twist Spin Shot after she had _specifically_ told him _not _to use it, causing many whispers to break out, saying something about 'Yuuta's girlfriend'.

Fuji Syusuke's eyes were now wide opened and blazing furiously at his opponent, making everyone, even the referee gulp in terror, wondering if this match will turn out into a bloodbath. Being one of Rikkaidai's regulars and with perception and data analyzing skills that even surpassed Yanagi's, Rika can tell immediately that Fuji had lost five of his games on purpose before ending the match in five minutes by taking seven games and totally thrashed Mizuki.

"Mental note," said Sora weakly from beside Rika. "Never EVER make Fuji Syusuke mad at you."

Everyone agreed and Yuuta chuckled nervously. Rika smiled before turning away. "Let's go," she said. "Yuuta, I'll see you another time."

"I'll defeat you the next time, Rika," said Yuuta and Rika smiled.

"Tennis is interesting, isn't it?"

Yuuta blinked and nodded, smiling. "I'll defeat you the next time. For sure."

"I'm looking forward to it."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Two weeks later, the entire regular team at Rikkaidai's had gathered and went over the qualifying schools for the Tokyo tournament and had determined which four schools had gotten into the best four. And because three out of four are schools that Yanagi had already collected the data on, that left the last unknown school – Ginka Middle High.

And so, on a sunny Saturday, one can find Kirihara Akaya and Echizen Rika walking towards Ginka Middle High to scout.

"Why do we have to come to Ginka to scout?" complained Kirihara, his hands clasped behind his head as he walked alongside Rika, the latter who has a notebook and pen in her hands as a tennis bag was on her back, adjusting the bag in such a way that she carried it like a backpack with the strap across her chest. "They're not worth mentioning."

Both of the younger players were in casual clothing so that Ginka wouldn't recognise them as players from Rikkaidai unless they recognised their names.

Rika sighed tiredly. Before they had left on their 'mission', Yanagi had specifically told her not to kill Kirihara and now, she knew why. She knew of Kirihara's mannerisms and character since she was his training partner during training, but she had never really gotten used to his baby-like mannerisms. Fortunately for Kirihara, Rika happened to have a long and thick line of patience since she had to deal with her own tennis team whom she was captain of when she was in America and a few of them were a hundred times worse than Kirihara.

"And they also happened to be good enough to get in the best four during the semi-finals of the Tokyo tournament," said Rika patiently, noting down little details that she noticed of the school as they walked towards the tennis courts of Ginka Middle High. "Yanagi-sempai can't do it, so we have to. Come on, I'll treat you to burgers later if you stop complaining."

This seemed to do the trick. Kirihara brightened up immediately. "Really?" he asked. "Let's go!"

Rika blinked as Kirihara was off like a bullet, leaving a dust cloud in his wake and sighed. "I swear, sempai, the mere mention of food gets you fired up," she muttered, chasing after him.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Boring..." muttered Rika, rolling her eyes in annoyance as she walked off Ginka's courts, leaving forty extremely tired players lolling about, beating every single one of them with 6-0 with only a minute for each match and she wasn't even tired.

Kirihara grinned as he watched this match, if you can even call it that.

The Rikkaidai players hadn't wanted to get involved at first, but they soon saw a brown-haired girl getting picked on by the Ginka players just because she wanted to retrieve her ball and had somehow gotten themselves involved.

"Did they _really_ get in the best four at the Tokyo tournament?" asked Kirihara in disbelief as he tossed Rika a bottle of water before walking away from the tennis court, their job done as Rika had gotten first hand information and data by playing with all forty of their tennis players.

Rika sighed. "Tell me about it," she said, waving her notebook in one hand in Kirihara's face. "I can beat every one of them with my eyes closed. How on earth did they get into the Tokyo tournament, let alone the best four with skills like _that?!"_

Kirihara grinned. "At least we know that they're easy pickings," he said as the two walked away, never noticing a gray-haired boy standing at the window, eyeing Rika with a calculating glance, an almost _hungry _expression in his eyes.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sora winced in pain as the rocks caused cuts on his shoulder.

This was _not _what he had signed up for when he had decided to play the hero and save two freshmen in the tennis club from being attacked by an unknown boy in Rikkaidai's tennis courts. School had just ended for the day, and Rika was whisked off somewhere by their homeroom teacher whilst Riku had music training at Hyotei's that day, leaving Sora to be alone by himself for some time.

As such, he had decided to head towards the tennis courts by himself since he had assumed that Rika would be there. But what he had not expected was for an unknown boy from a different school beating up two freshmen in the tennis club who were both from the class next door.

Sora didn't think twice before shielding them from the barrage of rocks that rained down from their attacker, causing cuts to form on his arm and shoulder, much to the horror of the two freshmen.

"Sora!"

"Get the teacher! Hurry!"

Sora scowled as he eyed the cuts on his arm. His sister is going to give him hell when she saw that, and stood up, scowling at the boy in front of him. "What are you doing?" he asked. "What are you doing in this school?"

"You have a female freshman tennis regular in this school, don't you?" demanded the boy. "Bring her here."

Sora's eye twitched. _'Rika? What does he want with her?'_

The boy smirked before gathering up a rock, but before he could throw it at Sora, a tennis ball whizzed in from out of nowhere and smacked the boy's hand, causing him to drop the rock with a cry of pain. Sora turned to see Rika standing behind him, still in her school uniform and school satchel, panting slightly with her racquet in her right hand.

Apparently, she was the first person that the two freshmen whom Sora had rescued earlier had ran into and knowing that Rika was a regular in the tennis club, they had immediately told her what had happened before the girl rushed off to rescue Sora.

"What do you think you are doing in our school and who the hell are you?" demanded Rika, helping Sora up.

"Chotto, Rika, be careful," warned Sora. "He's unbelievably violent."

"I know," said Rika. "I saw Souta and Kinta earlier. I saw their injuries and sent them to the infirmary to get their wounds treated."

The mysterious boy smirked. "So you're the female freshman regular of Rikkaidai's tennis team," he said.

Rika frowned. "Who are you?" she asked.

The boy stayed silent, bending down to take a rock before serving it with his tennis racquet. Rika was grateful to Sanada and Yanagi's speed and reflexes training as she saw the rock coming and caught it with her hand before it hit her, though this action caused cuts to form on her hand, much to Sora's horror.

"Rika!"

Rika narrowed her eyes. This guy was unbelievably violent. She watched as the boy bent down and took a handful of rocks this time. Even with her reflexes, she can't possibly catch every single one, and pain was the last thing that she remembered as she threw her arms up to shield herself from the onslaught of rocks.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Infirmary:_

"Itai!" Rika nearly screamed as Yagyuu applied ointment on her arm. "Yagyuu-sempai, can you be gentler?!"

"Sorry," apologised the Gentleman, covering the cuts on her arm with gauze before bandaging it. Rika was lucky that she only suffered cuts and all the more lucky that her face wasn't injured or her mother will freak out. "It's done." Yagyuu closed the first aid box on the table beside him. "Who the hell attacked you like this?" He asked, curious.

"No one," said Rika stubbornly, flexing her right hand which was bound with bandages as well. "I fell down the stairs."

"...Really?" said Yagyuu sarcastically. "Then why did Sora tell Sanada and Yukimura that it's some guy from Yamabuki who attacked you?"

Rika sighed, slumping her shoulders and Yagyuu smirked. "Where are they?" asked the freshman.

"In the clubroom," said Yagyuu. "I'm on my way there too. Let's go together."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Eh?! Rika got attacked by some guy from Yamabuki?!" repeated Marui. Himself and the rest of the regulars, save for Yagyuu, Rika, Yukimura and Sanada were in the clubroom of the tennis club.

Kirihara nodded. "I ran into Sora awhile back," he explained. "He was attacked by this Yamabuki guy who came looking for Rika and our Ice Princess arrived in the nick of time to rescue him from being assaulted and well...she made _herself_ a target instead."

Jackal frowned. "Where is she now?" he asked.

"In the infirmary," said Niou, jerking his thumb towards the door. "She's getting her injuries treated by Yagyuu."

"But still, that guy from Yamabuki is dangerous," said Yanagi with a frown. "He seems to be a new player in Yamabuki, and when I ran into Sora awhile back, he was muttering something about contacting his cousin or something."

The door of the clubroom swung opened with a creak just then and all regulars currently present in the room turned towards the entrance only to see Rika walking in with her right hand bandaged with Yagyuu close behind her.

"Rika!" said Marui in surprise. "Are you alright?"

"I'll live, don't worry," said Rika with a grunt, dropping her bag onto the bench in the clubroom before opening her club locker and taking her tennis jersey out.

"Rika, we should tell the Tennis Association about this," said Jackal only to be cut off by Rika.

"Don't worry about it," she said. "I'll be getting my payback soon enough on Akutsu Jin. I just won't be the one doing it."

Marui, Niou and Jackal blinked in confusion. "Huh?"

Yagyuu sighed, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Yamabuki is their next opponent in the Tokyo tournament," he said. "Seigaku's opponent."


	9. Seigaku

**Chapter Nine: Seigaku**

Seigaku were quite wary of their assistant coach that week until the day when they would be playing against Yamabuki. Echizen Ryoga was in a royally pissed off mood that week and every small mistake would result in the assistant coach assigning them laps or something as punishment. The only ones who escaped from him without punishment was the captain as well as Fuji.

Seigaku's freshman regular was not in a happy mood as well that week, playing more aggressively than Kawamura in Burning Mode. He had received a phone call from his cousin from his father's side of the family who resided in Kanagawa only to learn that his cousin's best friend was attacked by some weird guy from Yamabuki and had gotten herself injured.

Very few things can piss Shiki off, but this is just one of them. He remembered every little lesson that his father, mother and elder brother had taught him, one of those lessons being the emphasis on being polite to the opposite gender and always being a gentleman. Honestly! A guy attacking a girl?! Is that Akutsu Jin really a man?

Shiki had encounters with Akutsu since he had came to Seigaku about a week and a half before their match with Yamabuki – about two days after his little visit to his cousin's school. Shiki was lucky since he'd only gotten his hand and face injured with mere cuts and scrapes which healed easily.

As it is, Seigaku's first opponent at the Tokyo tournament was Ginka Middle High who got into the best four at the Tokyo Prefecture tournament, but as it is, Ginka forfeited their match, saying something about food poisoning and stomach aches, much to Shiki and Fuji's amusement since the two were very much alike in mannerisms, so much so that Momoshiro and Kikumaru actually wondered once if Shiki is related to Fuji in some way.

Thus, their next opponent is Yamabuki and somewhere across the fence from where Shiki was standing with the rest of his school team on the day of the tournament, he caught sight of his cousin as well as his best friend from his elementary school years – Satochi Riku, along with that girl that he had befriended when he started middle high. Two others were with them – both of them third years – by the looks of things. One was a redhead blowing a bubblegum and the other was a brown-haired boy with his eyes closed all the time. All five were dressed in casual clothes as they watched Seigaku's matches.

Seigaku lost doubles two, but won doubles one. Momoshiro won in singles three against Sengoku Kiyosumi as well, despite having a serious leg cramp, but developed a powerful technique called the Jack Knife against Sengoku, winning his match with 7-5. Now, it's time for singles two and Shiki noticed the sole girl in his cousin's group narrowing her eyes dangerously or the two seniors straightening themselves.

It was time for Shiki's match, and his opponent turned out to be Akutsu Jin, much to Kawamura and the rest of the team's dismay, especially the freshmen.

"Shiki?" said Kawamura, approaching Shiki as he sat on the grass beside Momoshiro, tying his shoelaces tightly. "Be careful of Akutsu. And no matter what, don't approach the net. You don't know what he might do."

Shiki frowned as he moved to his other shoe, looking up at Kawamura. "Kawamura-sempai, you used to take karate, right?" he asked and Kawamura blinked, nodding.

"Yeah," he said. "Back when I was in elementary school."

Shiki nodded before standing up and dusting his clothes off before grabbing his tennis racquet. "I see," he mused. "Don't worry. I won't lose. That guy has to learn a lesson or two...especially one with the emphasis on always being polite to the opposite gender and that a true gentleman don't hit girls, no matter what the reason is!"

**

* * *

**"Shiki went overboard," said Sora with a sigh, shaking his head in dismay as Akutsu Jin walked off the courts, laughing like an escapee from a mental institute. "I knew that he will do this."

Riku snorted in laughter. "It was _your_ idea to tell Shiki that Akutsu attacked Rika," he said. "You know what Shiki is like when it comes to women. He _doesn't _hit girls, not even if you asked him to. And with what Akutsu had done to both you and Rika and to him as well, I'm surprised that he didn't injure Akutsu bad enough to warrant medical attention."

Sora shook his head. "Nah, I know my cousin," he said. "He may be a gentleman, but he knows when to draw the line. He values sportsmanship above anything else and he wouldn't use tennis to hurt his opponents. That's not his style."

The referee was calling the score of 6-4, the winner being Shinderui Shiki of Seigaku. Shiki had went all out from the start, much to everyone's surprise, and there is an intense look of concentration in his eyes as well, different from his usual matches and he used his speed to his advantage by intercepting Akutsu's balls before it hit the ground and returned it to his opponent's side of the court before taking the final point of the game with a feigned smash which turned out to be a drop volley.

Yanagi smiled, scribbling some notes into his eternal notebook, reminding Shiki who was watching his cousin and his group of friends of Inui, thinking of Yanagi as Inui Version 2.0. Marui smiled, blowing out a bubblegum. "Let's go," he said.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Imouto-chan!" Atobe Ryoko squealed, leaping on Rinko. "You're here!"

Rinko laughed. "I wouldn't miss my own sister's birthday for anything, neesan!" she said with a smile, presenting a wrapped box to her sister. "Happy Birthday!"

"Thank you," said Ryoko with a smile, Atobe Keisuke coming up behind her with a smile on his handsome face. "You shouldn't have gone to the expense, Rin-chan. I know that the children's education are expensive and everything."

"Don't worry about it," said Rinko with a laugh. "I'm a lawyer, after all, and I can afford to splurge occasionally on things that I want, but couldn't afford when we're younger."

Ryoko smiled before turning to Rika and squealed, hugging her. "Rika-chan! Is it just me, or do you keep getting cuter every time I see you?"

Rika smiled as her aunt released her, much to her relief. "Happy Birthday, Ryoko-baa-san."

"Thank you," said Ryoko with a smile. "I think Kei is somewhere about with his friends. Why don't you go and find him?"

"Hai," said Rika with a nod and Ryoga and herself then walked off towards the tables set in the middle of the garden. Like the last party, it was a formal party and Rinko had dressed her entire family up in formal attires again for her sister's birthday.

"Rika-chan," said a voice somewhere behind Rika and she turned to see her cousin with his Hyotei team, smirking like the cat that had caught the canary.

Rika sighed. "Kei."

Atobe looked serious just then. "Can we have a word?"

Ryoga chuckled. "Fine, I get it," he said. "I'll go over there and chat up some young woman."

"Yumiko-san wouldn't like it," called Rika with a grin. "And Fuji-san won't like it if he heard that you're dancing with some woman other than his sister."

Ryoga merely waved a hand as he walked away and Rika sighed, turning to her cousin and his team who were all looking on with amusement. "What is it?" she asked.

"We need a practice match," said Atobe sheepishly. "With your school."

"A practice match?" drawled Rika. "Explain."

"Right. We need some practice..._real serious practice _against some good schools for our match against Seigaku...if we ever ended up facing them in an official match, that is."

Rika sighed. "That's not up to me to decide," she said. "You have to bring this to our captain via an official request. And that reminds me..." She turned towards Atobe. "The schools participating in the Kantou tournament will be drawing lots soon to decide their opponents, aren't they?"

Atobe nodded. "That's why we need some practice."

Rika grinned. "And what will you do if you ended up facing Rikkaidai someday in an official match?" she asked.

"We'll play to our best."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_A Week Later:_

As Rika and Kirihara were the two youngest of the Rikkaidai regulars, they were both sent out on shopping duty and when they were both done, the two decided to catch a bus back to school as they have tennis practice that day.

However, Kirihara was so tired from the shopping as he was following Rika around all the shops as she purchased the stuff that the tennis club needed that he fell asleep on the bus and once he sleeps, he is nearly _impossible _to wake up. In the end, he woke up by the time the bus reached the last stop.

"Rika-chan? Where are we?"

Rika sighed. "You've _finally _woke up, huh?" she said, exasperated. "This is already the last stop."

Kirihara gaped. "EH?! Why didn't you wake me up?!" he cried as he dragged her off the bus and the bus drove off.

Rika twitched. "You think I didn't try?" she muttered. "You slept like a log that no amount of yelling can wake you up!" She sighed, reaching into her school satchel and pulling out her cellphone before dialling a number. Three rings later, someone picked the phone up. "Moshi, moshi? Yagyuu-sempai? It's me."

"_Rika? What is it?"_

"Erm...Kirihara-sempai overslept and we're at the last stop," said Rika sheepishly.

Yagyuu sighed on the other end of the line. _"Didn't you two remember that we've got a practice match with Hyotei today?"_

"I didn't forget!" said Rika defensively. "Kirihara-sempai slept through the whole trip!"

"_And why didn't you wake him up?"_

"I _tried. _He slept like a log."

"_Well, where are the both of you right now?"_

"Where are we?" Rika blinked before she looked around the place, Kirihara looking left and right before catching sight of a signboard behind them. "Well...we're at—"

The phone beeped before Rika blinked and looked at her phone. "Battery's dead," she muttered.

"Hmm..." muttered Kirihara, studying the signboard behind them. "Seigaku, huh?" He looked at his kouhai. "Shall we take a look? If we're at Seigaku, it means that there must be at least one strong guy here. Let's do a little scouting and I want a match with one of their regulars."

"Sempai!" called out Rika, but Kirihara just walked into the school and she sighed. "I'd better go too to keep him out of trouble," she muttered, following Kirihara into the school. She knew that her brother won't be in Seigaku today as he had lessons at college that day.

And thus, the two went straight to the tennis courts where several players were having tennis practice matches with each other and Kirihara whistled. "They're good," he said. He then blinked as they noticed a young woman in her mid twenties standing not too far away from them with a camera in her hand, giggling and making comments about some of the regulars of Seigaku, clicking away with her camera every now and then.

"What?" Kirihara blinked. "A spy from another school?"

Rika sweat dropped. Isn't she a little too old to still be in _middle school?_

"Isn't she kinda old?" asked Kirihara, scratching his head.

Unfortunately for Kirihara, the woman overheard him and came towards Kirihara. Rika sighed and leaned against the fence beside Kirihara. "Did you just call me old?" she asked, laser beams nearly coming out of her eyes.

Kirihara blinked in confusion. "Huh?"

"Just because you're in middle high doesn't mean that you can go around calling people in their twenties 'old'!" Fortunately for Kirihara, the cellphone of the woman rang just then and she picked it up and answered it. "Yes? Eh?! I understand, Inoue-sempai. I will return shortly." And she ended her call. "Unfortunately, I have an emergency situation, thus, I will have to spare you. I'm not going to let you off in the future!" Kirihara and Rika blinked in confusion as the woman took her camera and snapped a shot. "I'm going to remember your face for future reference!"

She then took off.

"Weird lady," remarked Rika and Kirihara nodded, agreeing with her.

"Anyway, let's see where Tezuka-san is," said Kirihara and before Rika could protest, he dragged her with him into the courts and started looking around before a polite cough somewhere near them caused them to turn to see a boy with a bowl-cut hairstyle wearing Seigaku's regular jersey and jacket, along with a tall boy with spiky hair and glasses wearing a white T-shirt with green track pants.

"You don't look like a student from Seigaku, judging from your school uniforms," said Oishi Shuichiro. "Do you need something?"

"Oops," muttered Kirihara sheepishly. "They found us."

Rika sighed, not bothering to correct her sempai.

"It can't be helped then," said Kirihara. "I'm Rikkaidai's sophomore ace, Kirihara Akaya."

The spiky haired boy twitched slightly. "Rikkaidai?" he muttered. "The school that ended the finals in the Kanagawa Prefecture in a total of one hour. Kantou's number one team."

Oishi smiled. "Sanada's team, huh?" He looked at Kirihara. "What does Kanagawa's representative wants with Seigaku?"

"We came to do a little scouting," said Kirihara, scratching the back of his head.

This comment got the attention of every single person in the courts and all activity stopped instantly as everyone turned towards Kirihara. Rika was practically invisible to them so far as she had kept quiet and was merely staying behind Kirihara.

"What are you people doing over there?" asked a voice and everyone turned to the speaker who turned out to be Tezuka.

"Oh, I found you!" said Kirihara with a grin, walking towards Tezuka. "You're Tezuka-san, right? The one that my sempais spoke about. You're the only one that defeated my sempais in the Kantou tournament last year. I just want a match. It's okay, right?"

Rika could only stare and her eye twitched at how bold and straight forward her sempai could be. Sighing, she entered the courts, inviting the attention of every single person in the courts and pulled Kirihara's ear, twisting it.

"Iteteteteee!" Kirihara cried out in pain as he stumbled backwards. "What's that for?" He cried as Rika twisted his ear more and there were several mutterings of 'whipped bastard' and 'his girlfriend?', causing Rika to glare at them.

"What kind of idiot asks for a match in this manner and whatever happened to 'mere scouting' and 'just watching'?" asked Rika, exasperated before she released her hold on his ear.

"But Tezuka's here!" Kirihara whined like a kid that had just been denied some candy. "It's a chance of a lifetime! You probably don't know about him because you lived in America nearly all your life, but he's a really good player that is on the level of Sanada-fukubuchou and Yukimura-buchou!" He whined, turning to look at Tezuka before turning back to Rika. "Can I just have _one _game? Pretty please?" He pleaded like a kid as Rika sweat dropped and sighed.

"Do as you wish," she said. "But it's not my fault if Sanada-fukubuchou or Yukimura-buchou gets wind of this and gets mad." She then leaned on the fence and sighed.

"I refuse," said Tezuka flatly and Kirihara stared at him in dismay.

"Aww! Come on!" Kirihara whined. "It's just one game!"

"Hey, you!" yelled a second year with a green bandanna around his head as he picked up a tennis ball. "Don't be disrespectful to our buchou!" He then served the ball. "Hurry up and leave!"

Oishi gaped. "Arai, you fool!"

Before the ball even hit Kirihara, another tennis ball from out of nowhere appeared and hit the ball that Arai had served to Kirihara, knocking the ball away and every Seigaku player blinked before turning to Rika who had her tennis racquet out and narrowing her eyes dangerously, such an icy aura surrounding her that everyone gave her a wide berth.

Kirihara chuckled evilly to himself. _'The Ice Princess strikes again.'_

"What right do you have to talk about respect when you attack guests from another school?" asked Rika, narrowing her eyes at Arai who gulped. "This wouldn't be good reputation for your school if word gets out. Besides, Kirihara-sempai was asking nicely, albeit immaturely."

Kirihara sweat dropped at this. "Is she _really _defending me?" he muttered in disbelief.

"Ne, Rika," said Kirihara, turning to his kouhai who is currently hitting two tennis balls up and down on the frame of her racquet as she glared at Arai before switching her attention to Kirihara. "Why don't you ask one of Seigaku's regulars for a match while I persuade Tezuka-san? It's your job, anyway, right?"

Rika sighed before stopping the movements of her racquet and caught the two tennis balls with one hand simply without looking before looking at the players wearing blue track jackets before dismissing them as nobodies not worth mentioning before turning her focus onto the regulars and stopped at a tall sophomore with spiky hair and purple eyes standing next to the Arai guy.

"Should we play?" she asked, pointing her racquet at him. "I'm a freshman from Rikkaidai, Echizen Rika. You are?"

The sophomore grinned. "Sophomore, Momoshiro Takeshi," he said as they went to one of the available courts and everyone watched with wide eyes and bated breath.

"How unfair!" Kirihara sighed dejectedly, shoulders slumping. "Rika managed to get a match and I didn't."

"Which?" Momoshiro asked.

"Smooth."

The results came out smooth and Momoshiro grinned. "Alright, let's start. I want to see how good you are."

Kirihara grinned mischievously at this since he knew Rika's abilities and skills better than anyone else, being the girl's training partner as Rika bounced the ball onto the ground, playing right-handed before she tossed the ball up into the air and served a shot so strong and so quickly that Momoshiro couldn't even manage to see it and before he knew it, Rika has gotten one point against him.

"Whoa!" muttered Oishi, his eyes wide. "Inui, did you see that?"

Inui nodded, adjusting his glasses, keeping an eye on the match.

Momoshiro stared. "If you're this good, then I'd better get serious," he grinned.

Five minutes later, he lost to Rika at 6-1, much to Seigaku's disbelief as Momoshiro couldn't even manage to see most of Rika's shots as it was returned so quickly with such high speed that it was nearly impossible to see.

Rika sighed. "Sempai, let's go," she said as she picked up her bag. "We still have a practice match today."

"Eh?! But I hadn't gotten a match with Tezuka yet!" Kirihara whined.

"Ask him when he's free," muttered Rika before dragging him away, despite protests.

"You're kidding me...she beat Momoshiro so easily...and did you see those shots of hers? I can barely see it coming," croaked Kikumaru in disbelief.

"As expected from Rikkaidai," said Inui, scribbling into his notebook. "She must be that female regular of Rikkaidai's that I've been hearing rumours about. What did she say her name was again?"

"Rika," answered Momoshiro. "Echizen Rika." He then blinked as he realised what he had just said. "ECHIZEN RIKA?!" He blinked. "Is she somehow related to Ryoga-san?"

"She's Ryoga's sister," said Ryuzaki. "And don't you remember seeing her sometimes at our matches?" She sighed. "So even Rikkaidai is interested as well. I didn't expect for Ryoga's sister to be a Rikkaidai regular. As expected from her."

"Sensei, you didn't know?" asked Fuji, surprised.

"Every time I tried to ask Ryoga, we always get interrupted," said Ryuzaki. "But with Rika as a regular in their team, we have to step up our training. And not to mention that boy with her..."

"One of Rikkaidai's aces...Kirihara Akaya," muttered Inui.

"It's a mistake if we underestimate them just because one of their regulars is a girl," said Oishi seriously. "Their captain is Yukimura after all, and Rikkaidai has a three year record of championships, with him as their leader."

"Yeah, and their other ace is the Ice Princess of Rikkaidai," muttered Inui, scribbling in his notebook. "Echizen Rika. Those two have been the talk of all the schools in the Kanagawa district."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Rikkaidai Middle High:_

Point.

Rika stared on in wonder whilst seated on the bleachers. "He's good," she said in wonder, watching Sanada play against a former regular in Rikkaidai's tennis club who is now in high school. "Sanada-fukubuchou, that is."

"Of course," said Yagyuu, pushing his glasses up his nose. "He's our fukubuchou for a reason."

"Game, Sanada! 5-2!" called Marui who is acting as referee for this match.

"Your hands are getting soft, Nishiki-sempai," said Sanada with a smirk on his face and his senior twitched.

"You'll be a regular as soon as you get into high school, Sanada," growled Nishiki.

Yagyuu looked at his watch. "Oh. The drawings for the Kantou tournament should commence anytime soon," he muttered. "Yanagi and Yukimura are our representatives there."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Kantou Regional Tournaments; Combination Order Drawings:_

"Hey, don't draw for number fifteen," whispered a Ginka member to his neighbour, eyeing the number sixteenth slot nervously as Seigaku was drawn for lot sixteen.

"Tokyo's Ginka Middle High!"

"Hai."

Nearly everyone in the room looked on with disbelief as the Ginka representative started dancing around, cheering something about not drawing Seigaku and a Ginka member sighed.

"Idiot. Take a good look at who you're facing first before celebrating."

"Huh?"

A line had connected Rikkaidai Fuzoku and Ginka Middle High together. Yukimura chuckled with amusement. "Not wanting to get Seigaku and drawn a stronger school, huh?" he said.

"Tokyo's Hyotei Gakuen!"

This got the attention of Yukimura and Yanagi immediately and they looked to the front of the room. Atobe was the one drawing for Hyotei and he got number fifteen – Seigaku's first opponent in the Kantou tournament.

Mutterings started to break out.

"Last year's Kantou runner-up, Hyotei Gakuen, and one of the four seeds, Seigaku, are grouped together."

Yanagi frowned. "The one who lose won't go to the Nationals, huh?" he mused.

Yukimura smiled. "Seigaku and Hyotei, huh?" he mused. "This will be interesting..."


	10. Seigaku versus Hyotei

**Chapter Ten: Fight! Seigaku versus Hyotei**

_Monthly Pro Tennis:_

RING! RING!

Inoue Mamoru grabbed the receiver of the phone that was ringing shrilly, demanding to be picked up and answered it. "Moshi moshi?" His eyes widened. "Nani?! Seigaku and Hyotei will be against each other in the first round of the Kantou tournament?!" Inoue sighed. "I understand. Thank you."

And he placed the receiver back before frowning, leaning back on his chair. _'Seigaku and Hyotei, huh? The school that lose at this match will lose their chance to go to the Nationals. And both schools are evenly matched in terms of skill. This will be a tough one for Seigaku.'_

He then got up in search of his kouhai who was currently in the midst of developing her photographs.

"Shiba," called Inoue as Shiba was focusing onto several photographs that were still in the midst of developing, several already hanging out to dry on the lines for developing photographs.

"Ah. Inoue-sempai," said Shiba. "What is it?"

"We've just received the report about the first round of the Kantou tournament," explained Inoue. "Seigaku will be playing against Hyotei."

Shiba blinked. "Eh?! But both are from Tokyo! The school that lose will lose their chance to go to the Nationals!"

"Exactly," said Inoue, nodding before he noticed the photographs that Shiba was currently in the midst of developing. "Ara? Are those the pictures taken when you went to Seigaku by yourself last week?"

"Yes," said Shiba, nodding. "I can't always be following sempai."

"I suppose so," said Inoue, chuckling before he noticed one of the photographs and blinked. "Eh?" He picked up said photo. "This boy...he is Rikkaidai's Kirihara Akaya! And that girl behind him...their freshman ace, Echizen Rika!"

"Sempai, you know these two?"

"Not personally, but I know _of_ them," said Inoue. "They are regulars in Kantou's number one team – Rikkaidai Fuzoku."

"Yes, but their captain has to beat some sense and manners into that boy!" growled Shiba, readying a fist. "He actually had the audacity to call me 'old'!"

Inoue chuckled as Shiba fumed and started cursing and chewing out a certain sophomore regular of Rikkaidai and looked at the photo of the two Rikkaidai regulars. _'So even Rikkaidai is interested in Seigaku, huh?'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Meanwhile, things aren't looking so good for Seigaku's tennis club.

This month's intra-ranking tournament to decide the regulars for the Kantou tournament had gotten Inui back his place as a regular, but had gotten Momoshiro booted out instead as he'd lost to Tezuka and Inui both in Block A and had lost his place as a regular. Inui, whom Seigaku had gotten wind from Kaidoh that he trains 2.25 times harder than whatever training that he had assigned them had showed the results of the fruits of his labour. Tezuka who was Inui's last opponent in Block A had a slightly difficult time with him that he showed his trump card for the first time – Tezuka Zone, though Ryoga knew that as an uncompleted version of the Samurai Zone which his father had created. Though Tezuka is brilliant enough to come up with it all by himself, his technique was imperfect, compared to the one that his father used on himself and his sister every time that they played.

Ryoga was also worried, however.

He knew that Hyotei had a practice match with Rikkaidai once before the lots for the Kantou tournament was drawn, and knowing his sister's school, they were unbelievably good, every single one of their regulars on National-level, since after joining Rikkaidai, his sister had improved a great deal, defeating him several times and now, the scores of their matches were _always _at 7-6 instead of the usual 6-4 before they had moved to Japan. Now, the number of Rika and Ryoga's wins at tennis matches against each other stands at 36-32, with Ryoga in the lead. However, even with all of the improvements that the two did, they were still unable to take even one game from their father...even with BOTH of them playing against their father who had both his eyes closed.

However, that was just the least of his worries, especially since Momoshiro hadn't been seen for three days ever since he was dropped from the regulars and the club was already going crazy, with the Golden Pair having an argument and Ryoga sighed, fishing out his phone, inviting the attention from Inui who was beside him, having just finished warming up with Shiki.

"Ryoga-san? Who are you calling?" asked the data master, pausing in the midst of scribbling in his ever trusty notebook, muttering "Ii data" under his breath every now and then.

"I'm calling my sister," said Ryoga with a sigh, dialling a number and putting his phone to his ear. "I can't leave right now and I'm not about to have Shiki skip training just to retrieve Momoshiro, so I'm going to have to get my sister to retrieve our wayward player."

**

* * *

**_Rikkaidai Middle High:_

The music of someone playing Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 4 in D Major K218 could be heard coming from the music clubroom and several students passing by the music room slowed down to look through the see through glass to catch the sight of a handsome silver haired teen with cerulean blue eyes playing the violin with intense concentration, his eyes shut.

There was no practice for the tennis regulars that day, thus, Sora and Rika both were waiting inside the music room as another freshman girl, Fuyama Miyako from the class next door accompanied Riku on the piano and the music club's teacher, Mikaki-sensei listened to them both play, tapping her foot occasionally on the ground.

"_Kiss me sweet...I'm sleeping in silence...all alone...in ice—"_

Rika blushed as Riku and Miyako both stopped their playing to stare at her. "Sorry," muttered Rika, heading towards the door to answer her phone.

"_Rika?"_

Rika frowned, recognising the voice on the phone as her brother's as the music started playing from inside the room once more. "Niisan? What is it?"

Ryoga's voice sounded apologetic. _"Rika, I know that you do not have tennis practice today, but are you free now?"_

Rika frowned; she was planning to go with Sora to accompany Riku to Hyotei for his music training that day. "Well...I _was _planning to go to Hyotei with Sora and Riku...but I can cancel that if there's anything important. Why?"

"_Can you go and retrieve one of my tennis club members?" _asked Ryoga, sounding exasperated. _"He's gone MIA and the tennis club is going crazy because of his absence."_

Rika sighed.

"_Rika?" _Ryoga sounded almost pleading.

"Who is it?" asked Rika, running her fingers through her hair.

"_Momoshiro Takeshi," _said Ryoga. _"You should know who he is, seeing how you played him when you came to Seigaku two weeks ago."_

Rika nearly groaned. "...fine. I'll try to find him and kick him over to Seigaku." _Click._

Rika then opened the door of the music room and ventured for Sora to come near the door before lowering her voice. "I won't be able to accompany you and Riku to Hyotei today," she said apologetically. "I have to retrieve one of the tennis club members of my brother's who'd gone MIA."

Sora grinned and nodded. "I understand," he said. "Go on ahead."

"Sorry," said Rika apologetically before leaving.

**

* * *

**Rika knew the one place where she can find the MIA Seigaku player if he wasn't in Seigaku: the street tennis courts.

Rika walked up the steps leading to the street tennis courts only to find that plenty of people had chose to visit the street tennis courts that day. Momoshiro was there, along with Ann as well as six Hyotei tennis players.

Rika sighed, stopping at the top of the stairs leading to the street tennis courts, causing everyone to turn their attention towards her, fortunately stopping an argument and a possible fight about to break out between Momoshiro and Ann with the Hyotei regulars.

"I knew it," said Rika with a sigh, glaring at Momoshiro. "You're here, alright."

Momoshiro blinked with confusion. "Ara? Ryoga-san's little sister? Rika-san, right?"

Ann sighed with relief. "Rika! It's a good thing that you're here."

"Konichiwa, Ann," said Rika, nodding politely to her. "My brother told me to retrieve his wayward club member here who had gone MIA." She said, jerking her thumb towards Momoshiro. "And by the way..." Rika looked at the Hyotei members present. "What is Hyotei doing here?"

The other regulars of Hyotei blinked. All of them recognised the girl as Atobe's cousin since they had met her twice at the parties held at the Atobe mansion, even though the girl may be wearing her school uniform since they had also met her when the Hyotei regulars went to Rikkaidai once about two weeks back for a practice match. Rika may not have played against them, just watching all their matches under orders from Rikkaidai's training manager and data master, Yanagi Renji, but they still have no doubts about her skill since she's good enough to defeat Kirihara Akaya and a number of the regulars on Rikkaidai's tennis team, putting her on par with the top cards of Rikkaidai – Yukimura, Sanada and Yanagi.

Atobe smirked as he eyed his cousin up and down. "Looking good, Rika-chan," he said. "No wonder Yukimura had his eye on you."

Rika twitched dangerously and cracked her knuckles together threateningly, causing all boys present to gulp nervously. "Kei, you got a death wish?" she asked in a suspiciously sweet voice. "Or do you want to see your maker early?"

Atobe gulped. "Erm...no."

"Good." Rika grunted. "Anyway, I'm here to kick this peach butt—" Momoshiro twitched and Ann coughed to cover up her laughter. "—back to Seigaku since the entire club had been panicking ever since he went MIA. So if you'll excuse me." She reached out and grabbed Momoshiro by the ear, twisting it and earning a loud yelp from the sophomore.

"OWOWOWOWOWOWOW!" Momoshiro yelped as Rika continued to drag him. "Let me go!"

"Ann, give me a hand here!"

Ann giggled. "Coming!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Kantou Regional Tournament:_

"Game, Marui-Echizen pair! 6-0!"

Marui and Rika smacked their hands against each other as they won their game against Ginka's doubles pair in their doubles two match which had ended in less than three minutes as the game was ridiculously easy.

Marui was about the only person in Rikkaidai's tennis club who can play doubles with Rika since he knew her habits and play style better than anyone else and Yukimura and Yanagi had both decided to try putting them in doubles in their match against Ginka in their first match during the Kantou tournament.

Ginka's doubles two pair were now panting on their hands and knees on the ground, breathing heavily and both looking as if they had just jumped into a swimming pool. Marui grinned as he and Rika both walked back to Rikkaidai's bleachers where Yukimura was seated on the bench, acting as bench coach.

Yukimura nodded to them, his jacket draped around his shoulders. "Nice game," he said, nodding.

Riku and Sora were present at the match as well, along with nearly half of Rikkaidai's student population. Yanagi chuckled as Niou and Yagyuu went out to the courts next for doubles one and the next doubles pair of Ginka were whimpering to their captain, not wanting to face the two after seeing what had happened during the first doubles game.

"Rika, since you've finished your match, why don't you go and watch Seigaku's match against Hyotei?" suggested Yukimura. "It might be a good learning experience for you as well and you can take this chance to see how much Seigaku and Hyotei have improved. I think that their matches won't start for another ten minutes."

Rika nodded. "Okay," she said.

**

* * *

**Five minutes later, Rika who had changed into her school uniform to avoid unwanted attention as Rikkaidai's tennis uniform is yellow, headed towards the court where Seigaku and Hyotei are having their match with Riku and Sora who had both came along.

The trio arrived just as the doubles two match had ended, the victors being Seigaku's Momoshiro-Kikumaru pair against Hyotei's Oshitari-Mukahi pair, winning the match at 6-4. "That's a surprise," muttered Rika as she sat on the top of the bleachers, getting a fine view of the matches. "Oshitari-san is Hyotei's tensai player. To think that they will lose."

Sora frowned before he took out his camera. His camera was one of the latest ones in the market with a camera zooming function as well as a video record function that his sister had bought for him when he had aced his last Mathematics test which also happened to be his worst subject. Both of Sora's parents died when he was still in elementary school and his sister was in her first year in high school and she had brought him up single-handedly by taking on part-time jobs whilst schooling at the same time.

Sora focused the camera onto Seigaku's Kikumaru-Momoshiro pair as well as Oishi Shuichiro and snapped a picture before zooming in onto Hyotei's Oshitari-Mukahi pair and his camera went _click._

**

* * *

**Riku frowned as he watched Hyotei's next doubles pair stood in front of their tennis coach, aka his music coach, listening to some last minute advice from Sakaki-sensei.

"That guy with the cap..." said Riku slowly. "Isn't that Shishido Ryou?" He turned towards Rika. "I thought that he had been dropped from the regulars when he lost to Fudomine's Tachibana Kippei?"

"I thought so too since that's the rule for Hyotei's tennis club," said Rika, turning to Riku and Sora. "But he appeared to be still with the regulars when my cousin and his team turned up at Rikkaidai for their practice match. He _had _been dropped from the regulars for some time, but Kei convinced Sakaki-sensei to keep Shishido-san on the regulars." She took a sip from the can of Ponta that Sora had headed off sometime back to buy for them from some vending machine. "Time to see their skills in doubles then." She muttered. "I hadn't seen Ohtori-san and Shishido-san playing doubles before. Same for Seigaku's most unlikely doubles pair." She sighed as Inui Sadaharu and Kaidoh Kaoru walked out to the courts.

Riku sweat dropped. He, along with Sora had watched enough of tennis matches ever since knowing Rika and knew enough about Seigaku's players from what he'd heard from Rika to know that Inui and Kaidoh specialises in singles, _not _doubles.

"Have they even played doubles before?" asked Sora incredulously.

Rika shrugged. "I know for a fact that Kaidoh played doubles once with Momoshiro during their match against Yuuta's school," she said and sighed. "And you guys know how that turned out."

Riku groaned to himself and Sora sighed. Yeah, they remembered alright. Clear as day, in fact. Yanagi had managed to get a video of that first doubles match against St. Rudolph's which they missed on the day when they went to see St. Rudolph's matches against Seigaku and all three had watched it together during their break when Sora had managed to get the use of the video room of the photography clubroom.

Kaidoh and Momoshiro had played doubles then, and the two rivals even argued whilst on the courts, much to the three freshmen's amusement and had ended the match when Momoshiro accidentally 'killed' Yanagisawa with his Dunk Smash, knocking him out and causing St. Rudolph to forfeit their match due to Yanagisawa going to la-la land.

"The match is starting," said Riku suddenly and the three freshmen turned their attention towards the match.

Ohtori Choutarou was serving. And his serve was unbelievably fast as it whizzed past so quickly that Inui and Kaidoh barely had enough time to react.

"15-0!"

Sora gaped. "W-What was that just now?" he muttered. "It was unbelievably fast."

"Rika?" Riku asked.

"200 km/h," muttered Rika, keeping her eyes on the match. "Fast, but not fast enough. I can still see it."

Riku and Sora both sighed. They both knew that there are very few balls that Rika _can't_ see. One being Sanada's Invisible Swing. Sure, Rika can still see it, but it causes a strain to her eyes as her eyes were extremely sharp and perceptive, which is the reason why Sanada had her do sound training in the event if she ever came across an opponent who uses fast balls like Sanada do.

"But Seigaku's data master should know about that serve, right?" asked Riku, frowning as he looked from Inui to Choutarou to Rika. "I mean, he's the data collector and brains of Seigaku, after all."

Rika sighed. "Yes, he should know about this serve of Ohtori-san's," she said. "But like what Yanagi-sempai had told us before – sometimes, even with all the data in the world, there are times when power exceeds data and this is just one of those times. That's why Yanagi-sempai sometimes threw his data play away when playing against certain opponents in which data proved useless."

Sora grinned. "Like Sanada-sempai, Yukimura-sempai and you for example?" he asked, grinning.

Rika nearly groaned. "Don't remind me of that," she muttered. "I never want to play against him again. That is one troublesome match, even though I win him with 7-6."

"30-0!"

The trio turned their attention back to the match whereas Choutarou was serving that unbelievably quick serve of his again.

"Fault!"

Rika frowned. "But it definitely seems like his control over that serve isn't a hundred percent," she remarked as Choutarou mis-aimed again, resulting in a double fault, giving Seigaku one point.

"But as long as they couldn't do anything against that serve of his, Ohtori-san will win this service game, right?" asked Sora and Rika nodded.

"But knowing Inui-san," said Rika, looking at Seigaku's data master. "He's bound to figure something out. And Kaidoh-san won't just go down without a fight."

**

* * *

**In the end, Inui and Kaidoh lost doubles one, though Shishido and Choutarou were panting away like dogs by the time they finished the game, though it's a close one at 7-5. Some of St. Rudolph's members had appeared by the time doubles two had ended, Yuuta among them, along with Yanagisawa as St. Rudolph had lost badly against Hyotei during the finals of the Tokyo tournament.

Singles three was Seigaku's Kawamura against Hyotei's Kabaji and it turned out to be a match of power as both were firing simultaneous Hadoukyus until both parties could carry on no longer as the damage done to their arms were too great in which Ryuzaki had to take both Kabaji and Kawamura to the hospital, leaving Ryoga as bench coach.

Singles two was Seigaku's Fuji Syusuke versus Hyotei's Sleeping Beauty, Akutagawa Jiroh. This was one match that got Rika's attention since this was the only match in history in which Fuji Syusuke used all three of his Triple Counters, ending the match in his victor with 6-1 which is something, since Jiroh was Marui's fan, much to the redhead's dismay, and was a serve and volley player like him. Even Rika has problems playing against Marui sometimes and she knew from watching Jiroh's practice match against Marui once that he was a tough opponent, despite Marui defeating him afterwards with 6-1.

Singles one was a captains' match and this match got the most attention since even coaches from professionals were present at this match and Rika watched as Tezuka went to Ryoga who was seated on the bench, listening to some last minute advice whilst Atobe was doing the same with Sakaki.

"Oi. Rika."

Rika turned to see the rest of Rikkaidai's regulars appearing behind her. Several players from Yamabuki as well as Rokkaku were present as well. "Ara? Everyone's here," said Rika. "How's the match?"

"What do you think?" asked Marui with a grin, blowing his ever eternal bubblegum. "We won. All games with a score of 6-0. How's the match between Seigaku and Hyotei so far?"

"One draw, two wins and one loss for Seigaku," said Rika, turning back to the courts. "If Tezuka-san wins this, then Seigaku wins."

"I see," said Yukimura, smiling, one finger on his lips. "Tezuka against Atobe, huh? A captains' match."

"Who do you think will win, buchou?" asked Kirihara.

"Saa," said Yukimura with a shrug. "Both of them are equally matched."

The arrivals of Rikkaidai, the third seeded school, Rokkaku as well as Yamabuki had invited attention from the schools seated in the bleachers and Tezuka frowned as he noticed Sanada and Yukimura. He had played Sanada once in a street tennis match when they were both first years and he had won, obviously, but Yukimura was another story...

Atobe had noticed the presences of Rikkaidai and the other schools as well, along with Rika, Riku and Sora seated at the top of the bleachers.

"Rika-chan!" Atobe said in an extremely loud voice, causing everyone to turn towards the embarrassed freshman. "You're here to cheer for me too?"

"Someone..." Rika muttered, hiding her face in her hands. "Just kill me now."

Sora and Riku laughed.

**

* * *

**Tezuka lost his match due to his arm injury, though everyone agreed that it's the best match that they've ever seen in middle school tennis history.

With that, that makes two wins, two losses and one draw for each side, and the authorities decided on a sixth game to decide the winner of this match which meant that the reserve players from each school will be playing: Shinderui Shiki from Seigaku versus Hiyoshi Wakashi from Hyotei.

Even Sanada was impressed when he saw Shiki play, and Sanada being impressed is a rare occasion that only happens once a blue moon.

Needless to say, with all the energy stored up inside him, Shiki went all out and won his match with 6-4, making it three wins for Seigaku which enables them to go to the next round of the Kantou tournament.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Seigaku, huh?" mused Yanagi an hour after Seigaku's match with Hyotei when all of Rikkaidai's regulars gathered in one of the shelters in the tennis park. "Both schools played a pretty high level match. Hyotei had improved drastically especially after their practice matches with us, but I didn't expect for Seigaku to improve this much as well."

"Indeed," said Yukimura, nodding. "Seigaku has improved a lot. If they keep winning all their matches like this, we're bound to meet up with them sooner or later."

"But their captain, Tezuka-san is injured," said Marui, blowing a bubblegum. "Seems like he had Tennis Elbow. And he has to go and get it treated somehow, and that injury of his isn't something that can be treated in just a day. He has to go and get long term treatment for it. And with Oishi Shuichiro injured as well...the only nuisance left in Seigaku is Fuji Syusuke."

"But by the way," said Yanagi. "That freshman had the same single footed split step as you both, Akaya, Rika." He said as all Rikkaidai regulars turned to see Shiki go, talking with Momoshiro.

"He probably learned it from niisan," commented Rika, watching Shiki go. "I originally learned it from my brother, anyway."

Kirihara grinned as he looked at Shiki whilst Rika said nothing, but looked at Shiki all the same. "You mean that he needs to be crushed, right?" said Kirihara, a strange glint in his eyes.


	11. A Date? Everyone Gathers!

**Chapter Eleven: A Date? Everyone Gathers!**

"No," said Rika firmly as she walked down the street after exiting from Rikkaidai Middle High with Ann following her.

"Come on, Rika! Please?" Ann pleaded, placing both hands together in a pleading motion.

Rika was ambushed by Ann just after she had finished her classes and had left the school. Riku was having his music training at Hyotei's that day as the day for his competition is drawing closer and Sora had a club meeting with the photography club. Training for the tennis regulars was suspended that day and Rika was planning to go to a tennis training center to practice against ball machines at their maximum speed. Unfortunately, Fate had something different in store for her as Ann had pounced on her the moment that she had walked out of the school.

"No means no," said Rika firmly, turning to look at Ann. "Besides, I don't even _know _him!"

Ann had came to Rika that day, asking for her help. The Fudomine girl was worried over Momoshiro and decided to bring Momoshiro to street tennis that day...in the form of a date. Obviously, Rika had flat out turned Ann down since there's no telling what Yukimura may do to Momoshiro or any boy who happened to be at the street tennis courts once he finds out.

"Come on, just help me out!" pleaded Ann. "Please? You can inform Yukimura-san if you wish, but just accompany me? You don't have to play! Come on!"

Rika sighed, turning to face Ann. "You're not going to leave me alone until I said yes, will you?" she muttered and Ann grinned. She sighed. "Give me a moment." She fished out her cellphone and dialled a number before speaking in low tones and hanging up. "He's not too happy." Rika muttered. "But he said that if any boy dared to hit on me, there will be hell to pay."

Ann grinned brightly. "Let's go!" she said before grabbing Rika by the wrist and taking off down the streets.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Somewhere in Tokyo:_

"Momo-sempai, when there's no club activity, it feels as if something is missing," said Shinderui Shiki, his nose in some tennis magazine as the two Seigaku regulars walked down the streets.

"It's strange," mumbled Momoshiro, scratching the back of his head.

"What is?" muttered Shiki, his nose still in his magazine.

"It's so strange."

"What's strange?" asked Shiki, finally tearing his eyes away from his magazine and turning to look at his best friend with an exasperated look.

"How does Tachibana's sister know my phone number?" wondered Momoshiro.

Shiki blinked rapidly. "Tachibana's sister?" he muttered.

"You should know her too," said Momoshiro, turning to look at Shiki and a very vague image of a pretty hazel brown haired girl with heart barrettes in her hair came to his head and Shiki grinned mischievously.

"Heh, you told her your phone number."

Momoshiro nearly stumbled over his own feet at this. "No, that's not it!" He nearly yelled. "That's why it's strange!"

"Maybe she got it out of the phone book?" Shiki suggested and Momoshiro blinked. "What did she say?"

"'I need to tell you something, so come out'," recited Momoshiro from what Ann had told him over the phone. "I'm planning to go now, but..."

Shiki raised an eyebrow as he turned. "Oh. Okay then, my house is this way—" He was cut off in mid sentence as Momoshiro grabbed him by the shoulder. "What is it?"

"Come with me."

Shiki stared at Momoshiro. "Why?!"

"Just come with me."

"I'm not so bored that I will disrupt someone else's date," muttered Shiki and Momoshiro blushed as red as Kikumaru's hair.

"D-Date?!" Momoshiro nearly shrieked. "That's not it!" He bellowed in Shiki's ear and the freshman winced at the volume of the sophomore's voice, rubbing his ears, making a mental note to sue Momoshiro if he had problems with his hearing in the future.

"Then what is it?"

"I wonder..." mumbled Momoshiro. "A-Anyway, just come!"

"No!" said Shiki stubbornly. "Why do I have to—"

He was cut off in mid sentence as Momoshiro grabbed Shiki by the arm, and ignoring his protests, dragged him down the street.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Rika tapped her foot on the ground as she sipped slowly from the can of Ponta that she had just bought earlier before she noticed Momoshiro and Shiki walking towards them. Ann waved to Momoshiro.

"You're late!"

"Sorry," said Momoshiro, releasing his hold on Shiki's arm. "This guy is too slow."

"Then why do I have to come?" Shiki growled.

"Konichiwa, Shinderui-kun," said Ann.

"Konichiwa," said Shiki before turning around. "My house is this way, so—" And he was cut off as Momoshiro grabbed him by the arm.

"So, what did you call me out for?" asked Momoshiro, turning towards Ann.

Ann giggled. "Well, I was thinking of going out on a date with you, Momoshiro-kun."

Momoshiro nearly blanched. _"Date?!"_

His abnormally loud voice caught the attention of a certain data specialist across the road from where the four were currently at.

"See?" said Shiki, bored.

"Shinderui-kun, do you want to come too?"

"You're invited as well."

"Why do I have to come?"

"I've got nothing to do with this, Ann," said Rika with a sigh before following her friend down the street, with Momoshiro and Shiki close behind her.

Inui Sadaharu straightened his glasses before dialling a number on his cellphone. Three rings later, the phone was picked up.

"_Hoi hoi?"_

"Kikumaru, this is Inui."

"_Oh, what's up?"_

"It's a date."

"_Huh?"_

"Momoshiro and the captain of Fudomine's little sister. Ryoga-san's sister is also here as well."

"_Heh, aren't those two cute? Man, Momo's lucky, having two cute girls out on a date with him."_

"Shinderui is with them as well."

"_Heh? Double date?"_

"Seems to be. It looks interesting. Want to come?"

"_Sure. Where are you?"_

"The bookstore in front of the convenience store on Second Street..." Inui trailed off as Kikumaru came out of the shop behind him. "Eh?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Street tennis courts:_

Point.

"Game and match to Kamio, 6-0," mumbled Ibu Shinji.

"Damn, I lost again."

Kamio grinned.

"Kamio-kun!" called Ann.

"Ann-chan," said Kamio with a blush as he saw his crush. He then twitched as he noticed Momoshiro standing beside her. "What the hell are you doing here?!"

**

* * *

**"Isn't this place for doubles only?" asked Momoshiro, looking at the courts.

"Didn't we play singles last time?"

"I remember," said Momoshiro, remembering that time when he was dropped from the regulars. "But there was no one else there at that time."

"Wait a moment!" said Kamio before stomping up to Ann and Momoshiro. "Ann-chan, what do you mean by 'last time'?"

"Right before the Kantou tournament, we played a bit here."

Kamio twitched. "W-With no one else around?"

"At first. Then Hyotei's Atobe-kun showed up, and I was very nervous."

"Were you all right, Ann-chan?"

Ann nodded. "Momoshiro-kun was here."

"Rika-san showed up later as well," said Momoshiro, jerking a thumb towards Rika's direction who was seated atop the railings with a bored expression on her face, Shiki leaning against the railing just next to her.

"Never mind that! What are you doing here?!" growled Kamio.

Momoshiro blinked. "Eh? Me? I'm just—"

"On a date."

Kamio looked as if he just had a heart attack and Momoshiro gaped. "You're not helping any matters here."

"What?" asked Ann with a frown. "If a girl says that it's a date, just listen to her."

"No!" Both Momoshiro and Ann turned towards Kamio. "Ann-chan, anyone but him!"

"What do you mean 'but'?" demanded Momoshiro. "Are you picking a fight?"

Shiki and Rika looked on with amusement as this was getting interesting. This was more interesting than any show that they'd ever gone to in their lives.

"This guy stole my bike and dropped it down a hill."

"Nothing happened, so it was fine."

"He's also the one who stepped on his own teammate and ignored him."

"You're the one who stepped on him!"

Ann was looking from one to the other as they argued and Shiki was finding it difficult to keep the grin off his face as Rika was looking on with amusement at the two's argument as they were arguing like preschool children.

"I'm not his teammate."

"Doesn't mean that you can do it!"

"As long as I'm around, I won't let you around Ann-chan!"

"Who do you think you are?"

"It's surprising to see you here," said Shiki, turning to Rika. ("If something happened, I won't be able to face Tachibana-san!")

Rika snorted. ("Why can't you?") "It wasn't my choice," she muttered. ("Of course, he's our captain!")

Shiki chuckled. ("Then why do you have to?") "How long do you think those two can keep this up?" ("Us members have the responsibility of protecting Ann-chan. I can't trust a person who ignores teammates with Ann-chan.")

Rika sighed. "Who knows?"

"But you're the one who stepped on him!"

"Like I said, I'm not—"

"The adjacent court is too noisy!" roared an angry voice which sounded oddly familiar to Rika. "What are you yelling about?"

Shiki nearly fell off the railing that he was on as he saw who had entered the courts and this had the immediate effect of stopping Kamio and Momoshiro's childish argument. St. Rudolph's Mizuki, Yanagisawa as well as Yuuta had stepped out.

"It's Momoshiro, dane," said Yanagisawa in surprise.

"Shinderui?" said Yuuta, blinking before noticing Rika. "And Rika too?"

"Who are they?" asked Ibu, turning to Shiki.

"A guy who lost to me," said Shiki, not noticing Yuuta twitched as if he had just been shot. "And a guy who got crushed by Fuji-sempai." Mizuki twitched.

Yanagisawa laughed. "You guys got hurt, dane."

"And the guy who got blown away by Momo-sempai."

"USE OUR NAMES!" yelled the three St. Rudolph's players in unison.

"You..." said Mizuki, looking at the Fudomine guys. "Didn't we meet at the districts?"

Ibu blinked before seeming to recall something.

Momoshiro blinked in confusion. "The adjacent court?" he muttered.

"You hadn't noticed it yet?" asked Rika, jerking her chin towards Yuuta's direction. "Take a good look over there."

Momoshiro and Shiki both blinked as they noticed a series of tennis courts which hadn't been there before when they last came to the street tennis courts.

"I see..."

"By the way," said Yuuta, turning to look at the Seigaku guys. "What are you doing here?"

Ann smiled. "A date."

"Heh, Momoshiro-kun's girlfriend?" asked Mizuki.

"She's really cute, dane."

Yuuta grinned. "Your boyfriend wouldn't be too happy if he hears about this, Rika."

Rika sighed. "He knew."

Yuuta grinned. "You guys came to play, right?" he asked and Rika raised an eyebrow. "If so, then let's have a game, Shinderui-kun."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the courts, there was a very amusing conversation being held and Rika chuckled. She felt thankful that Ann dragged her here as this was even more amusing that any show that she'd watched.

"You're not Momoshiro-kun's girlfriend?" asked Mizuki in confusion.

"Why would she be this loser's—"

"What do you mean by this loser?!"

"So how is Tezuka-kun's condition?" asked Mizuki, changing the subject.

"He's not Ann-chan's boyfriend!" snapped Kamio.

"No, duh!"

"You're really not on a date, dane?" asked Yanagisawa, scratching his head with confusion.

Ann smiled. "It's a date."

"Ann-chan..." groaned Kamio, much to Rika's amusement.

"Umm, about Tezuka-kun..." began Mizuki.

"It's not a date, but—" Momoshiro was cut off by Mizuki who was really irritated at everyone ignoring him.

"Listen to what I'm saying!"

**

* * *

**_Half-an-hour later:_

Rika was wondering if the two arguing boys had a switch for her to turn off as they hadn't stopped arguing yet.

"You're too persistent!"

"Shut up!" snapped Kamio. "Don't get too cocky, you bastard!"

"What about Tezuka-kun?"

Even Yuuta had been dragged into an argument with Fudomine's Ibu Shinji.

"What is wrong with you?" growled Yuuta.

"What is wrong with you? You're getting on my nerves."

Rika and Shiki both sighed simultaneously. This was even worse than what Rika had to deal with in Rikkaidai whenever Kirihara somehow ended up arguing with one of the regulars – most often either Marui or Niou who were always goofing around.

"I don't want to hear that from you!"

"You can't say anything nice, can you?"

Rika, Ann and Shiki sighed as one.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Somehow or other, with the arrival of Fuji Syusuke, the ones arguing had calmed down enough to warrant a tennis match, though Rika had to admit that it's amusing to see Fuji flipping off Mizuki as if he didn't even recognise him when everyone knew full well that Fuji remembered the manager of St. Rudolph's.

As it is, they ended up having a doubles match of Shiki-Ibu pair versus Momoshiro-Kamio pair with Ann and Rika seated on the same bench with Fuji on the other bench. Yanagisawa and Yuuta were both seated on another bench, watching the game as Mizuki became the referee.

Fuji even asked, "What's he so angry about?" innocently to the bystanders, much to Yuuta and Rika's amusement.

Shiki managed to get the first game with just his Twist Serve, but Momoshiro-Kamio pair soon made a comeback by clinching five games before Shiki decided to try a psychological tactic against Momoshiro and Kamio with Ann as the subject.

Ann sighed as Kamio and Momoshiro started arguing...again.

"Can't those two stop arguing?" she muttered before her cellphone rang and she answered. "Moshi moshi? Eh?! Today?!"

Kamio and Momoshiro were cut off in the middle of their arguing which is something about a damaged bike which leads to something about tennis matches which ended up with something about hamburgers, of all things.

"Ann...chan?"

"She went back," said Fuji with his eternal smile. "Said something about a date."

"EH?!"

"With her brother."

Rika laughed as well. "I should go back as well," she said. "I have a date to get to." She smiled. "With my boyfriend."

"E-EH?!"

The hearts of all those boys who didn't know that she had a boyfriend shattered like china when they heard that.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Yukimura chuckled with amusement as he heard what had happened earlier with the 'date'. Both the two were currently atop some hill in Kanagawa district, watching the stars.

"Wish that I could have been there," said Yukimura with a smile, wrapping his arm around Rika's shoulders.

Rika sighed. "You would," she said. "By the way, our next opponent for the next round of the Kantou tournament has been announced, right?"

Yukimura nodded. "We've just received word of it today," he said. "Seigaku's next opponent is Midoriyama whilst our next opponent is a school in the Kanagawa district as well."

Rika frowned. "Who is it?"

"Jyousei Chonan."


	12. Battle! Rikkaidai versus Jyousei Shounan

A new chapter! Sorry for the wait and thanks for the support! Also, as a side note, in chapter one, when Yukimura first met Rika, he mentioned about undergoing an operation for Gullian Barre Syndrome the _previous year._ In my story, he had already recovered from his illness and is now in tip top condition. Also, I'll appreciate it if you can leave a review or two for this reposted story.

* * *

**Chapter Twelve: Battle! Rikkaidai versus Jyousei Shounan!**

"Why the hell must you oversleep today of all days?!" Rika yelled at Marui as both of them ran at top speed to the place where they'll be having their match against Jyousei Shounan, already dressed in their tennis jerseys.

"Sorry!" Marui apologised, running alongside Rika.

As usual, Rika was the one to get Marui for his match since if she don't do that, he'll be late to every match that he was scheduled for or even sleep all day in his bed if he has school. Once Marui sleeps, it's virtually impossible to wake him up. As it is, Rika is the only one who can wake him up once he goes to la-la land.

"Come on, we're nearly there!" said Rika, catching sight of the entrance of the tennis park, with a group of girls surrounding a boy with orange hair with a cap, with Jyousei's tennis team gathered outside a van with a beautiful red haired teacher with them whom Rika presumed was their coach.

"Hurry up, Bunta!" said Rika, catching the attention of the Jyousei team.

"Not everyone is as fast as you!" grunted Marui, speeding up as well.

The teacher smiled as she caught sight of the two. "Hang on..." said the teacher. "Are you...Echizen Rika-san?"

Rika and Marui stopped in their tracks and this got the attention of the ENTIRE Jyousei team before the two Rikkaidai players turned towards the teacher. "You are?"

"I'm Jyousei Shounan tennis club's coach, Hanamura Aoi," said the coach. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Rika frowned. "Likewise," she said. "Is there anything that you need?"

"I would like to extend an invitation to you to become one of Jyousei's masterpieces," said Hanamura. "I've been watching all your matches so far and you're extremely talented and good for a female tennis player – easily on par with most boys. You'll be able to become even better if you come to us. It's alright if you come to us after the Kantou tournament. Please consider it."

"I'm afraid that I have to turn down this offer of yours, Hanamura-sensei," said Rika bluntly. "I'm happy where I am and I have no intention of going to another school when Rikkaidai is the number one school in all of Japan."

The team captain, a caramel haired boy with blue eyes smiled. "You seemed pretty confident that you will win in today's match," he said.

"I know that we will," said Rika sharply. "Rikkaidai will _never_ lose."

"Don't speak like that," said the orange haired boy with a cap. "I'm Wakato Hiroshi, a sophomore. Are you free tonight?"

Rika's eye twitched dangerously, resisting the urge to kick the boy in the nuts. "I don't like losers who tried to get fresh with me," she growled. "Please excuse me, we have a match to get to."

And she and Marui took off.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"You're late!" grunted Sanada, his arms folded as he looked sternly at his two panting players who were the last to turn up.

Rika panted, hunched over on her knees as she tried to get her breath back whilst Marui was leaning against a nearby tree, panting heavily. "Tell that to him," said Rika tiredly, pointing towards Marui. "I have to go to his house to wake him up so that he'll make it in time for today's match as sleeping beauty here simply _refuses to wake up!" _Rika glared at Marui who 'eeped'. "I swear, Bunta, you're even worse than Hyotei's Akutagawa Jiroh!"

Yukimura laughed. "Ah well. At least you're here," he said with his eternal smile before taking out a list of the match-ups for the match. "I'll now announce the line-ups, so gather around." The regulars gathered around their captain. "Doubles two, Rika and Marui. Doubles one, Yagyuu and Niou. Singles three, me. Singles two, Akaya. Singles one, Yanagi."

All Rikkaidai regulars save for Sanada blinked rapidly.

"SINGLES THREE?!"

"'Mura, why are you playing in singles three?" asked Marui with surprise. "Isn't it usually Akaya or Rika who takes that spot?"

"Yes," said Yukimura with a nod. "But this time, I want you and Rika to pair up in doubles two. You did well during your match against Ginka, that's why I want to pit you against stronger opponents this time around. Your opponents should be those twins."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"So that's Rikkaidai," said Tanaka Youhei, looking over at Rikkaidai's corner.

"We all knew that we've gotten the short end of the stick, so as to speak when we're up against that school, but we won't go down without a fight," said Daichi Kiriyama.

"But that female regular..." said Tanaka Kouhei. "How good is she?"

"Who knows?" sighed Kajimoto. "But since she's on Rikkaidai's regular team, she's bound to be good since regulars from that school are all on National-level."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_Jyousei Shounan versus Rikkaidai Fuzoku will start now. The first match is doubles two. Jyousei's Tanaka Youhei and Tanaka Kouhei pair versus Rikkaidai's Marui Bunta and Echizen Rika pair. Please step forth."_

"Your opponents are twins, so their teamwork is bound to be impressive," said Yukimura who was acting as bench coach as usual. "Don't let your guard down."

"Hai."

Both Marui and Rika then walked up to the net before grasping the hands of their opponents in a brief handshake.

**

* * *

**"Alright, this is it," said Niou, watching the match, along with the rest of his teammates outside the fence. "Marui and Rika in doubles. I know that they did well in their match against Ginka, but Jyousei is one of the top schools in the Kanagawa district as well. Will they be alright?"

"Since it's them both, it's bound to be alright," said Yanagi calmly, scribbling into his notebook. "I can get some decent data on them both as well since they hardly used any of their moves during their match against Ginka."

Everyone, save for Sanada and Yukimura sighed. "Yanagi...ever with the data tennis, huh?" said Jackal with a sigh. "But you know that Rika's data is not that easily collected as well."

"That's why I'm not worried about scouts or data specialists collecting her data," said Yanagi. "Not even _I _can collect her data accurately since she exceeds my expectations and data every single time. Probably because she plays analyzing tennis."

"Then this will be interesting," said Niou with a grin.

**

* * *

**"One set match, Rikkaidai's Echizen to serve!"

Rika bounced the ball, holding her racquet in her right hand before catching Marui's eye out of the corner of her eye and nodded slightly to him. Yukimura who noticed this exchange smiled lightly. He knew his players well and knew that the two have a plan. The two have been childhood friends and knew each other's habits and play style well.

Rika threw the ball up in the air and served.

**

* * *

**Youhei scoffed as he returned another ball back to Marui. "This is the so-called famous team of Rikkaidai?"

Sanada frowned slightly. "Yanagi, did you notice yet?"

"Yeah," said Yanagi, nodding. "The match has already been going on for close to ten minutes now. Yet with all the shots that Jyousei managed to return, they hadn't scored a single point yet. Usually, it's Rika who would be at the net with Marui at the back, as with Rika's speed, she can reach balls faster than Marui can, yet this time, their roles are swapped." He closed his notebook with a snap. "Rika has a plan."

**

* * *

**Point.

"2-0, Rikkaidai leads!"

Marui took the tennis ball before he turned towards Rika, blowing out a bubblegum. "Rika, have you thought up of a strategy yet?"

Rika nodded. "Yes," she said. "Thanks for the help. We can counter attack now."

Marui threw the ball up in the air and served before running forwards to the net whilst Rika ran to the back. Wakato raised a brow. "What the-? They're switching positions? What is going on?"

"Youhei, Marui is coming to the net!"

"I know!"

Youhei hit a lob in the air which soared above Marui's head and he smirked. "Heh. You're still a hundred years too early to face us."

"Huh?"

From behind Marui, Rika leapt into the air and smashed the ball which entered the courts so quickly that the twins could not even find a chance to react and Rika landed on the ground, smirking at the shocked expressions on the faces of the twins and the dumbfounded expressions on the faces of the Jyousei team and the shocked looks on the faces of Jyousei's cheerleaders, aka, Wakato's fanclub.

"Even if you can tell where the ball is going to land judging by sound alone, if your body can't react fast enough, it's useless," said Rika, smirking at the shocked looks on the faces of the twins when they realised that she knew how they predicted the ball is going to land.

**

* * *

**"How did she know?" asked Ota, turning to Kajimoto.

The team captain frowned as he looked closely at Rika's movements as Youhei who was receiving the ball make a feint towards the right and Rika moved towards the left instead and returned the ball so quickly before it even entered their court that the twins barely have enough time to react.

"She's the same," said Kajimoto slowly. "She hears the sound and predicted where they're about to hit it. Analyzing tennis. I heard that one of Rikkaidai's regulars play this style. So it's her."

**

* * *

**"Game! 4-0! Rikkaidai leads!"

Sanada looked at the stopwatch that he had in his hand to see that it's been barely ten minutes since the match started and already, the twins are panting heavily and both looked as if they had just jumped into the swimming pool. Marui and Rika, on the other hand, had hardly broken a sweat. Jyousei's cheerleaders were silent, watching on with shocked silence as the two Rikkaidai players take game after game without mercy and that their shots are so fast that before the twins realised it, the ball was already in their court.

"Yarou..." growled Kouhei as he attempted a smash only to have it intercepted by Marui who hit a drop volley – or at least, the twins thought so – only to see the ball rolling along the net before dropping in their side of the court.

"Tightrope Walking," said Marui with a wink.

"40-0!"

As Rika served a relatively slow ball on purpose to the Tanaka twins, both twins rushed forward together and Rika smirked, using her split step. "Neh. Have you played against a Nitouryuu player before?" she asked as the ball was returned to their side of the court and she switched hands, much to Jyousei's shock before smashing the ball with her left hand.

Daichi gripped the wire of the fence, his face one of shock. "S-She's a left hander?! Impossible!"

"And to think that she even played this well with her right hand..." muttered Ota in shock, a bead of sweat sliding down his face. "Rikkaidai...they are all monsters!"

**

* * *

**Yagyuu smiled lightly, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Not bad, Rika," he muttered. "This is a big psychological shock for their opponents. First, having found out that Rika plays analyzing tennis and having the same ability as them is already one shock."

Niou chuckled. "Then finding out that Rika is actually a left hander when she's been playing _right-handed _throughout the entire game is another shock. This match is over."

**

* * *

**"Game and match! Rikkaidai's Marui-Echizen pair! 6-0!"

"Impossible!" muttered Ota. "Youhei and Kouhei lost this badly?"

Kajimoto sighed. "Someone help them off the courts," he said, referring to the twins, both whom are slumped on their knees in the middle of the courts, shocked expressions on their faces. "They looked like they're in the need of some psychological help."

**

* * *

**Jyousei lost doubles one as well. Yagyuu and Niou versus Daichi and Ota. The game was a quick one, barely lasting five minutes before the score was announced at 6-0. The Jyousei pair couldn't even get one point past them before the Rikkaidai pair were announced the winners.

Then singles three...Yukimura versus Wakato Hiroshi, with Sanada replacing Yukimura as the bench coach.

"Ganbatte," said Rika as Yukimura handed her his jacket before smiling at her. Towards the side, the Rikkaidai regulars were all grinning. They knew the two usually kept their relationship quiet when they're training or when they're in school so that tongues won't wag. In fact, during the first few weeks of their relationship, several sophomore and senior girls who liked Yukimura got jealous of the freshman girl and started spreading rumours about how she bought her way into the tennis club because of Yukimura's influence.

While this didn't affect Rika much as she's used to comments like this, it's another matter for Rikkaidai's tennis club as well as her best friends – Riku and Sora, along with the entire freshman level who had looked at Rika like some kind of role model.

The long and short of it is that somehow, by some miracle, Yanagi managed to get concrete evidence of the girls slandering Rika's name and that they're behind the thrashing of her locker for a week straight. Fortunately for Rika, her club locker was intact as no one, save for tennis club members were allowed into the clubroom where their club lockers are and Sanada had immediately gotten Rika a club locker in the boys' tennis team's clubroom instead of the girls' tennis team's clubroom when she started receiving harassment from the sophomore and senior girls.

The girls behind that deed were caught within the week and all turned out to be sophomores and seniors and were suspended for a week straight. But none of what the tennis club did beat what Riku and Sora did. Avenging their best friend's honour, or so as what Riku had called it, Sora who had a really sadistic sense of humour like his cousin's somehow managed to get embarrassing photos of those girls when they're using beauty masks which makes them look like some monster and he'd even managed to get several pictures during their cookery class when they botched up whatever dish that they're making, and who knows how he got it, but Sora also managed to get several of their embarrassing baby pictures which Rika suspected that Riku had a hand with getting. And within the next week, all those pictures were all over the school's newsletter which gave the entire school's population of students and teachers a good laugh for a week straight.

The president of the photography club had a hand in helping as well and even kindly gave each class a copy and even gave each club a copy of said newsletter. Needless to say, the tennis club received one too and those girls were made the butt of jokes from every single student in the school. But the message was clear: mess with a tennis regular and you'll get hell. Not only from the tennis club, but the entire freshman level and the combined forces of Shinderui Sora and Satochi Riku.

And so, singles three was starting and Jyousei was getting desperate as it could be seen in Wakato's play style as he went all out from the beginning. Wakato, as it turns out, played an annoying style of tennis by imitating the play style and habits of several famous professional tennis players, but Yukimura wasn't called 'Child of God' for nothing and counter attacked every move that Wakato used every single time.

During half-time when Yukimura and Wakato had to change courts, with the game count at 3-0, with Yukimura in the lead, Wakato noticed how the Rikkaidai's normally gentle captain will be especially gentle and kind towards their female regular and how all Rikkaidai regulars, save for Sanada and Yagyuu snickered and nudged each other every time their captain and freshman player interacted. Wakato had enough experience with his fangirls and knew the look in both the Rikkaidai captain's as well as Rika's eyes and that it was that of true love, not infatuation, and he grinned.

"You know, I think I knew the exact person who can deal with you now," said Wakato once they're back on the courts.

Yukimura frowned. _'Who's he going to imitate this time?' _he thought. "No matter who you imitate, I can always counter attack."

"Yes, but you can't play seriously against the person closest to your heart, can you?" said Wakato, and this got the attention of every single person in the courts. The orange haired boy flickered his glance towards Rikkaidai's female freshman regular who was standing outside the courts with the rest of her team, save for Sanada who was acting as bench coach for now, holding Yukimura's jacket. Wakato threw his white cap towards the bench which landed neatly on the seat and shouted, "CHANGE OVER!"

The next moment, everyone in the courts watched as Wakato fixed Yukimura with that confident and knowing look in his eyes which seemed oddly familiar to the Rikkaidai players before smiling in a girlish way. "Now I'm getting serious," he said, pointing his racquet at Yukimura.

Yukimura twitched. He knew who Wakato is impersonating now. He had played against the original player more times than he can count and had watched her closest than any other player out there. It's difficult not to recognise that stance and attitude.

Meanwhile, all Rikkaidai players nearly kneeled over when they saw this and even Sanada stared incredulously at Wakato. Does he have a death wish or something? Of all the people in the world, he just had to choose to impersonate HER?!

Meanwhile, Rika was not pleased. "I got a plagiariser to neuter later." She swore, causing all listening boys to cover their privates in fear.

Jackal nearly groaned. "That guy is going to die," he stated.

The next moment, everyone present in the courts seemed to have sensed a burning aura of anger from Yukimura, aka, Child of God. The Rikkaidai captain had completely gone into berserk mode and was now fixing Wakato with an extremely cold look that even makes the Great Glacier seemed warm in comparison.

"You're going to pay for that." Yukimura swore before serving such a fast shot that before Wakato realised it, the ball was already in the court.

"15-0!"

"30-0!"

"40-0!"

Just before Yukimura could score the final point in the game, winning him another game, Wakato counter attacked with a slice which ended out of the courts and Rika twitched. Her control over speed and the ball wasn't _this _bad, is it?

"If you're going to imitate me, do it properly!" Rika yelled, a burning aura of anger surrounding her, causing all her teammates to back away from her in fear. "I swear, once you lose this match, I'm going to _make_ you a woman!"

Wakato gulped, along with every single male in the vicinity.

Marui twitched as well, not happy with Wakato imitating his best friend like that. "'Mura," he growled. "Kick his ass."

"I intend to."

**

* * *

**"Game and match! Rikkaidai's Yukimura, 6-0!"

"How?" asked Wakato, panting heavily, bending over his knees.

Yukimura frowned. "You may have copied her habits and play style perfectly, but you can't copy her skills," he said. "Rika didn't show all her skills during that doubles match. In fact, she hadn't showed all her skills in all her matches so far. Her skills in perception and prediction far surpass anyone else. Not even Yanagi's data tennis can match up to her analyzing tennis. The only ones in Rikkaidai who can beat her so far are only myself and Genichirou."

"With game count of 3-0, Rikkaidai Fuzoku progresses to the semi-finals of the Kantou tournament!"


	13. Semi Finals! Rikkaidai versus Fudomine!

There will be two chapters this time as I know that I've disappointed my readers for some time when I 'disappeared' off this site. Please read and review and I'll appreciate it if you read my other Prince of Tennis story and drop a review or two to tell me what you think.

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen: Semi Finals! Rikkaidai versus Fudomine!**

It was a peaceful day at the beach and there was the cheerful laughter of children everywhere. Kirihara Akaya was currently dozing on the sun bench, wearing nothing but a white T-shirt and a pair of orange shorts with a towel over his eyes.

But his nap was rudely interrupted by the form of his two sempais, Niou and Marui tipping him out of the chair, sending him face first into the sand.

"Sempai!"

Niou and Marui laughed as they ran from an angry kouhai as Kirihara chased them down the beach with several amused spectators watching with amusement. Kirihara, Niou and Marui ran past Rika who was holding a tray holding several iced cones as well as iced Coke. The girl was wearing a white spaghetti strap top with a pair of black shorts and beach sandals, a pair of sunglasses perched atop her head.

Rika watched the chase with amusement before going over to the rest of the regular team who were currently all lounging on the beach, seated beneath a large umbrella to shield them from the sun and set the tray down on the mat spread on the sand, giving out the iced cones.

"Here," said Rika giving out the ice cones.

"Thank you, Rika," said Yagyuu, taking an iced cone from Rika. He then sighed, looking in the distance where Niou, Marui and Kirihara were just small black dots by now. "Those three... What am I going to do with them?"

"Don't worry, they'll come back," said Sanada, taking his iced cone from Rika. "Unless they don't mind us taking their iced cones. They knew that Rika had gone to buy us some."

The Rikkaidai regular team were currently having a short one day vacation at the beach since Yukimura had decided that since his team had been working so hard, they deserved a break after their match with Jyousei since it might be some time before they can take one.

Currently, all the boys were dressed in appropriate attire for the beach – in T-shirts and shorts as well as beach sandals. There were many people at the beach as well and a few teenagers were playing beach volleyball which Yanagi was watching intently.

Soon, Marui, Niou and Kirihara came back, all panting like dogs. Rika sighed and gave them their iced cones which were nearly melting by then, eating her own iced cone. "Here."

"Thank you," mumbled Kirihara, taking his iced cone before kicking off his sandals and sitting beside Rika who was sitting on her knees, eating her iced cone.

"Glad that you've decided to come back," said Sanada, looking at the three troublemakers. "A moment later and your iced cones would have been gone."

Yukimura chuckled. "Come on, Genichirou, don't be so uptight," he said. "We're here to have some fun, after all. It might be a while before we'll get to have a vacation."

Sanada sighed before the entire regular team stared as Niou, Marui and Kirihara started fighting over the last iced cone. "It's mine!" argued Kirihara.

"No, mine!"

"Mine!"

"Mine!"

"Mine!"

Yagyuu solved the argument by plucking the sole iced cone out of the tray and handing it to Rika and all the regulars stared. Yagyuu sighed tiredly. "Since Rika is the one who bought the iced cones and her cousin being the one who paid for our transport here, I think the last cone shall go to her," said the Gentleman, adjusting his glasses. "Besides, it's good manners to let a lady have the last iced cone."

Jackal chuckled. "Ever the gentleman, huh, Yagyuu?" he said as Kirihara, Marui and Niou eyed the iced cone in Rika's hand, making the girl extremely nervous before Sanada finally took pity on her and shoved iced Cokes into the hands of the three troublemakers, focusing their attention elsewhere.

"We came here to have fun, not create more trouble and headaches!" said the Emperor with a sigh. "Give us a break for once, will you?"

Niou grinned before balancing a volleyball which he'd gotten out of nowhere with one hand. "Anyone up for beach volleyball?" he asked.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

All too soon, it was soon time for the tennis team to head back home after a whole day having fun at the beach by playing beach volleyball with two in a team. Marui and Rika played in one team with Niou and Kirihara in another team. Sanada was also dragged into the game by Niou and Marui and ended up being in one team with Yukimura with Yanagi and Yagyuu forming the other team. And the fukubuchou and buchou of the tennis team soon showed why they're called the 'Demons of Rikkaidai'.

Kirihara also built a sandcastle only to have it destroyed in an instant when Niou accidentally hit the ball when he was playing beach volleyball towards Kirihara's sandcastle only to have it destroyed in front of him. Needless to say, the Demon chased the Trickster through the entire beach only to have it stopped by Rika who lured Kirihara with an iced cone which did the trick soon enough. All Rikkaidai regulars save for Yukimura, Sanada, Yanagi and Yagyuu sweat dropped as just with a mere iced cone, the demon became the angel.

"As expected from Rika," muttered Yanagi, scribbling into his ever trusty notebook which he even brought with him on this vacation. "She's the only one who can tame our Devil."

The rest of the team nodded. As far as they know, other than Yukimura, Yanagi and Sanada, Rika is the only one in the entire Rikkaidai tennis team who can control Kirihara when he's in his red-eyed state. And even when he's in his red-eyed state, he can't bring himself to hurt their Ice Princess for reasons that escape them. Yanagi thought that it must have something to do with the fact that Kirihara and Rika trained together more often than any other player and they also happen to be the two youngest in the regular team.

"What a pity," sighed Kirihara as the entire Rikkaidai team walked down the streets to the train station to catch the next train back to Kanagawa district. "Our vacation is over like this."

Marui grinned as he grabbed Kirihara in a headlock. "We can still go on more once we win the Kantou tournament. Ne, 'Mura?"

Yukimura smiled and nodded. "This won't be the last, Akaya," he said. "It's just that we won't be taking one for a while."

Yagyuu blinked as he noticed that Rika is missing. "Rika?" he mused and the entire regular team stopped in their tracks. "Where's Rika?"

**

* * *

**Rika watched from behind some trees as the buzz cut boy played against Shiki in an unofficial tennis match before a hand clamped down on her shoulder and she turned to see Marui. "Bunta?"

Marui sighed and the rest of the team appeared. "Where have you been?" he asked. "You suddenly disappeared on us."

"Sorry," said Rika with an apologetic smile. She then turned her attention towards the match. "I heard the sound of tennis balls and decided to investigate." The rest of the team turned towards the match only to see Seigaku's tennis team gathered outside the tennis courts where a match is going on between two freshmen that Rika is currently watching. "It's Rokkaku and Seigaku. I think they're opponents in the semi-finals of the Kantou tournament."

"Rokkaku, huh?" mused Yanagi. "Our next opponent is Fudomine. The first time that they've reached this far in the Kantou tournament, but it's still best not to underestimate them."

"I see..." said Yukimura with a smile. "Have you seen enough, Rika?"

Rika nodded. "Let's go."

**

* * *

**The train was silent as there were hardly any occupants. In fact, the only occupants are the Rikkaidai regulars themselves as it's late at night by then. Yukimura was listening to his I-Pod with Rika slumped against his shoulder, fast asleep, his arm around her shoulders.

Marui and Niou were seated side-by-side, having a game of cards with Yagyuu and Kirihara. Yagyuu was reading a tennis magazine whilst Yanagi was scribbling into his ever trusty notebook. Sanada was seated by himself in a seat across Yukimura, reading the recent release of Monthly Pro Tennis. The fukubuchou of Rikkaidai finally looked up from his magazine, his face forming a rare smile as he saw his best friend looking at their female player lovingly.

"You really care about her, huh?" said Sanada, closing his book and Yukimura looked towards his best friend, pulling the headphones of his I-Pod out of his ears, careful not to wake Rika. "It's the first time that I've seen you look at a girl like that."

Yukimura smiled gently. "I do not have any experience with girls," he admitted. "She's the first." He looked at Rika's sleeping face, caressing her face gently before planting a kiss on her forehead gently. "And I hope the last."

Sanada smirked. "Well, she's sure given us a lot of help with that ability of hers," he said, jerking his head towards Yanagi's direction. "Yanagi has a hell of a time taking down all the data that she had seen from that short match earlier."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Two days later:_

Yukimura nodded as Marui and Rika turned up – the last members among Rikkaidai's tennis team to turn up at the destination of the semi-finals of the Kantou tournament. "Alright, it's finally the semi-finals," he said. "I don't believe that Fudomine will beat us, but still, don't let your guard down. Our target is the Nationals! Before that, losing is forbidden!"

The rest of the team nodded and Yukimura took out the form listing the match line-ups. "I'll now announce the match line-ups," he said. "Doubles two, Marui and Rika. Doubles one, Yanagi and Sanada. Singles three, Akaya. Singles two, Yagyuu. Singles one, Niou." Yukimura looked up. "Are there any questions?"

"Yeah," said Kirihara, raising a hand as if he was in class. "What's Fudomine's team like? And who will be our most likely opponents?"

Yanagi frowned, flipping through his notebook. "Fudomine Chuu," he muttered. "This is the first Kantou tournament that they've managed to get in and their reputation isn't exactly well known. What we do know is that the members of the team have changed, having a captain-coach, Tachibana Kippei – a National-level player who is Kyushu's number two, also known as the Wild Lion. The abilities and techniques of the other players are unknown, save from what we've managed to attain from the Tokyo districts months ago when they made their first debut against Seigaku in the finals."

Marui frowned, blowing a green bubblegum. "Who will be our most likely opponents?"

"Let's see..."

**

* * *

**_With Fudomine:_

"...doubles two, Kamio and Shinji. Doubles one, Ishida and Sakurai. Singles three, me. Singles two, Uchimura. Singles one, Mori." Tachibana looked up from the list that he was reading the match line-ups from. "Any questions?"

"Don't worry, Tachibana-san," said Kamio confidently. "We'll beat Rikkaidai, then defeat Seigaku at the finals and go to the Nationals!"

Ann who was with them bit on her lower lip nervously. "Kamio-kun, don't let your guard down!" she said nervously. "I have a friend from Rikkaidai! She's the female regular in their team. She's good...damn good! I hadn't even able to take so much as a point against her every time we played!"

The rest of the team gaped at Ann. Ann is a pretty good tennis player and had been able to beat most boys, and she's saying that Rikkaidai's female regular is better than her?!

Tachibana sighed. "Ann is right," he said. "There is a reason why Rikkaidai is Kantou's number one team. They've been champions for three consecutive years. You can't take them lightly."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_The match of Kanagawa's Rikkaidai Fuzoku versus Tokyo's Fudomine Chuu will start now. The first match is doubles two. Rikkaidai's Marui Bunta and Echizen Rika pair versus Fudomine's Kamio Akira and Ibu Shinji pair. All players, please step forth."_

Yukimura and Tachibana approached each other by the sidelines and grasped each other's hands in a brief handshake. "Let's have a good game," said Yukimura with his ever pleasant smile, though there is a certain tone to it, his tennis jacket draped around his shoulders as usual.

Tachibana nodded before the two captains settled down on the bench. The rest of Rikkaidai's regulars were gathered outside the courts as Marui and Rika unzipped their tennis jackets and draped it over the back of the bench that Yukimura is sitting on. Rika did some light stretching as Marui popped a new bubblegum in his mouth whilst Fudomine's first doubles pair listened to some last minute advice from their captain.

"Don't take them lightly," was all Yukimura said as Marui and Rika walked out to the courts.

The four players grasped each other's hands in a brief handshake before releasing and Marui and Rika surveyed their opponents. Fun to be with and sometimes joking or goofing around outside the courts, all Rikkaidai regulars were all business once they're on the courts, their personality taking a 180 change.

"Let's have a good match," mumbled Ibu Shinji.

Kamio grinned. "Don't think that I'm going easy on you just because you're a girl and Ann-chan's friend!" he said. "Don't take this the wrong way, it's just that we won't lose here!"

Marui smirked and Rika raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Be my guest," said Rika before they tossed for sides and Rikkaidai took first service.

"One set match!" called the umpire. "Rikkaidai's Echizen to serve!"

**

* * *

**"Game! 2-0! Rikkaidai leads! Change courts!"

"What?" muttered Kirihara, blinking rapidly. "They're nothing much. It's less than a minute since the match started. Marui-sempai and Rika can win this easily."

"Not necessarily," said Yagyuu, frowning at the look on the Fudomine's doubles pair's faces. "Fudomine seems to have a trump card up their sleeve. It's best if we don't underestimate them."

**

* * *

**"_Rhythm ni noruze!" _cried Kamio as he put on an extra burst of speed to catch up to the ball.

Yukimura raised an eyebrow from the bench and took a look at Fudomine's captain only to see a satisfied look on his face and smiled. _'Sorry about this, Tachibana,' _he thought. _'If it comes to speed, no one can beat our Ice Princess.'_

"The ball's in!" cheered Mori. "That's one point to Fudomine!"

Ann frowned. "No," she said. "Rika's seen through it." She sighed. "Very few balls can escape her notice. That girl has eyes that put a bat's to shame."

Kamio gaped as Rika appeared before the ball in a split instant and before he knew it, the ball is already in their court.

"4-40-0!"

Ishida rubbed his eyes. "Is there something wrong with my eyes?" he mumbled. "I didn't see the ball enter the courts."

"It's not your eyes," said Sakurai, eyes wide, hands gripping onto the wire of the fence. "Me too. I can't believe it...Rikkaidai...what are they?"

Tachibana frowned from the bench as Rikkaidai took another game, making the score 3-0 with Rikkaidai in the lead. _'Speed,' _he thought. _'Pure speed. Before anyone realises it, the ball will already be in their court. Only one with quick reflexes and sharp eyes can see the shots of that female regular.' _Tachibana frowned and looked at Yukimura. _'Does he know? That Kamio – our speed player – will be in doubles two? That's why he put that girl in doubles two?'_

**

* * *

**"Shinji, it's a drop volley!" yelled Kamio before the other Fudomine player rushed forward to the net to intercept the drop volley that Marui is about to hit before the redhead grinned and the ball landed on the net...before rolling down it and dropped into their court.

"Miracle skill, Tightrope Walking," said Marui with a wink.

The look on the faces of all Fudomine's players was one of shock.

"Game! 4-0! Rikkaidai leads! Change court!"

Kamio and Shinji were panting heavily as they changed courts, with Marui and Rika walking calmly to the other court, the latter tapping her racquet on her shoulder, both seemingly not having broken a sweat.

"Rikkaidai's Echizen to serve!"

Yukimura raised an eyebrow as he noticed Rika's posture – her left foot slightly in front with her back slightly arched, her racquet _still _in her right hand, and smirked. _'So she's going to try out her new serve, is she?' _he thought. _'The serve that had just been completed a week ago which speed even exceeds the Scud Serve of Hyotei's Ohtori.'_

Rika threw the ball up in the air before serving and the next instant, the ball had landed in Fudomine's court before spinning around in circular motions before shooting up into the air and hitting the wire fence behind them. Everyone in Fudomine was dumbfounded.

"What serve is that?!" gasped Kamio.

Rika smirked, tapping her racquet on her shoulder. "A new serve which I'd just completed not long ago," she said. "Whirlpool Serve."

Niou whistled. "Well, it _does_ looks like a whirlpool," he commented to his teammates and they all nodded.

Yanagi was extremely interested in that new serve of Rika's since the team only saw the uncompleted version of it a month or two ago before the circular motions have completed on the court before being returned. This time, the serve has been completed.

"Speed, 320 km/h. Power, eighty percent. Accuracy, one hundred percent," muttered Yanagi. "Not bad. It's virtually impossible to return that serve unless you can do Sanada's Invisible Swing and knew the unpredictable path of the circular motions of the serve. But then again, if you can't read how Rika is going to use that serve, then it's nearly impossible to read the path of the Whirlpool Serve."

**

* * *

**"Game! Rikkaidai's Marui-Echizen pair! 5-0!"

"Damn! They haven't even got one point past those two!" cursed Ishida.

"Shinji, Echizen's coming to the net!" shouted Kamio, running backwards to the baseline. "It's a drop volley!"

"I know!" snapped Shinji before rushing forwards to the net as Rika intercepted the ball only to stiffened as he saw the smile on Rika's face before she hit a drop volley...or at least Shinji thought so before the ball rolled along the net and dropped down into their court.

Kamio gasped. "That's...Marui's Tightrope Walking!" he said. "How can she know it?"

"Why not?" said Marui, tapping his racquet on his shoulder. "Rika is the one who helped me develop it back when we're kids. She's the only one who knew how to return my shots."

"15-0!"

Marui is serving next and he looked at the two panting Fudomine players and smiled. _'Even at this stage, those two hadn't given up winning this game,' _he thought. _'Let's give them a parting gift.' _He caught Rika's eye and the girl gave a slight nod before raising a finger to her lips. Marui smirked. Rika's meaning is clear: only this once.

Marui threw the ball up in the air and served. As the ball entered the court and Kamio got ready to return it, the ball spun around in circular motions before shooting upwards, knocking Kamio's racquet out of his hands, leaving a stunned silence in it's wake.

Kamio finally found his voice. "Isn't that..." he muttered, still in shock, "Echizen's Whirlpool Serve? How can Marui use it?"

"He helped me to create it," answered Rika and attention was immediately focused on her. "There's a reason why we're doubles partners and why Bunta is the only one who can play doubles with me. We're childhood friends and we can even use each other's trademark moves. We helped each other to create our own trademark moves and because we knew each other so well, we're sometimes placed in doubles together."

**

* * *

**"Game and match! Rikkaidai's Marui-Echizen pair! 6-0!"

Sanada looked at the stopwatch in his hand as Marui and Rika smacked their hands against each other. "Seven minutes and thirty seconds," he muttered. "Not bad, I guess."

Kamio and Shinji collapsed onto their knees in the courts, panting and sweating heavily. The two had given their all and couldn't even get one point past Rikkaidai's doubles two pair. They're just too good and they could not even see a single flaw and loophole in the teamwork of those two.

'_Rikkaidai...' _Kamio panted as Ishida slung one of his arms around his shoulders before helping Kamio off the courts as Sakurai helped Shinji. _'What are they?'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Fudomine lost doubles one as well in a mere three minutes which isn't too surprising...seeing how Sanada and Yanagi – two of Rikkaidai's Three Demons were in doubles one, with a score of 6-0. Singles three was Tachibana versus Kirihara and Rika didn't know whether to be thankful that she got to see Tachibana Kippei's strength up close or to be fearful that Kirihara will injure the Fudomine captain badly.

She has no problems with seeing Kirihara enter his Bloodshot mood, but it's another matter entirely when she see him change completely into an entirely different person whenever he enters his Bloodshot mood. She's usually the only one who can snap Kirihara out of that whenever he delves too deeply into it which is why she's usually the sophomore's training partner at school.

As it is, Kirihara beat Tachibana in ten minutes with a score of 6-1, severely injuring Tachibana in the process and it's only when the game ended that Rika went to snap Kirihara out of his 'mood' by smacking him over the head.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"It's our victory," said Yanagi an hour after their match with Fudomine and after Tachibana had to be chartered off to the hospital. It was all that Fudomine could do to prevent Kamio and Ann from clawing Kirihara to pieces when Tachibana collapsed on the court and Yukimura had to phone for an ambulance, being the Good Samaritan that he is.

Rika had sent Ann an apologetic look before leaving which Ann understood. She is on Rikkaidai's tennis team, and in their team, losing is not permitted which is why Kirihara had that split personality technique of his.

"With that..." said Yukimura, looking over the matches of the Kantou tournament on a piece of paper that he had in his hand. "Our next opponent in the finals of the Kantou tournament...is Seigaku."

"Seigaku, huh?" mused Rika.

"Oh, that's right," said Kirihara, turning to Rika who was beside him. "Your brother is assistant coach for that school, right?"

"Yeah."

"That's right," muttered Niou. "I remember that you always left immediately with Shinderui-kun and Satochi-kun after our matches to watch Seigaku's matches. How are their skills?" He asked.

Rika frowned. "Well, logically speaking, they're good," she said. "As expected from Seigaku and the school that my brother is training. I heard that they've done pretty well against Rokkaku yesterday during the semi-finals. They've clinched the match in singles three. At best, against us, they should be able to clinch at most, four games in a match, but we'll still win."

"Seigaku, huh?" muttered Sanada. "Tezuka is currently in Germany seeking treatment for his arm, thus, the only nuisances in Seigaku is Fuji Syusuke."

"That freshman is another possibility as well," said Marui, pointing this out. "I don't believe that he's ever lost a match before."

Kirihara grinned. "Then it'll be fun crushing him, won't it?" he said.


	14. Meeting Rikkaidai

**Chapter Fourteen: Meeting Rikkaidai**

_Kawamura Sushi:_

"It's mine!"

"No! Mine!"

"You want to fight, Mamushi?!"

"Bring it on!"

That was the scene that one Tachibana Ann came across when she arrived at the sushi restaurant which owner was the father of one of the Seigaku's regulars and which the Seigaku tennis regulars frequented. Momoshiro had called her the day before, wanting to know about their match against Rikkaidai nearly a week before and Ann had agreed, though not saying anything about how badly Fudomine lost.

Her brother was still in the hospital, undergoing checkups and X-rays for broken bones and if it will affect his athletic ability in the future and if it will affect his tennis play. Most of the Fudomine team are still in a deep psychological shock after seeing how badly Rikkaidai had thrashed them – not even allowing them to get one point past them – especially the doubles two match when Shinji and Kamio – two of Fudomine's best players lost this badly in a mere eight minutes.

Rika was extremely apologetic about her brother's match with Kirihara and had telephoned her the night after their match. Ann had mentioned that it wasn't Rika's fault that her brother was injured that badly, nor is it any of the Rikkaidai regulars' fault, save for the one who had done the deed, and that she shouldn't apologise for something that she didn't do.

And thus, Tachibana Ann had came straight from school to Kawamura Sushi where Momoshiro had mentioned that the Seigaku regulars will be at. As she slid opened the door to Kawamura Sushi, all arguments ceased immediately.

"Konichiwa," said Ann with a smile.

"Aren't you...?" muttered Inui.

"Fudomine's Tachibana's..."

"Hai," said Ann with a slight bow. "I'm his younger sister, Tachibana Ann."

"Now that you mentioned it..." muttered Shiki who was chewing on an anago whilst seated next to Oishi at the counter. "Didn't Fudomine have a match against Rikkaidai, our next opponents during the finals of the Kantou tournament?"

"Yeah," said Momoshiro. "I called her, wanting to hear about it. Some sort of information gathering, if you get my drift. I thought that it might be interesting to hear about it."

"There's...nothing really interesting to hear," said Ann in a low voice. This got the attention of everyone in the shop. "It's too awful."

Inui started to rummage in his bag before bringing out a videotape. "I thought that we should watch this once we're done," he said. "This is the recording of the semi-finals match between Rikkaidai and Fudomine."

"Let's play it then," said Shiki, not noticing that Ann's face had gone pale.

Within a few short moments, the video started to play and Fudomine's Kamio and Ibu appeared on the television screen. Fuji frowned, tapping his chin. "Fudomine's Kamio and Ibu pair, huh?" he mused.

"Everyone came to the match in their best condition," said Ann and everyone turned towards her. "But...Rikkaidai..."

The tape was starting to play the matches. The first match was doubles two and all Seigaku regulars present immediately recognised the female freshman regular from Rikkaidai from the time when she came to their school with Kirihara and the fact that she's their assistant coach's sister.

"_Game and match! Rikkaidai's Marui-Echizen pair! 6-0!"_

"What's up with this match?" asked Kikumaru, staring at the screen with wide eyes.

"They couldn't even get a single game? Or even a single point?" muttered Momoshiro disbelievingly.

"This is unbelievable," muttered Inui. "The difference in power is too much of a difference."

"Rikkaidai...is too strong," muttered Ann, keeping her head bowed down. "I played against Rika occasionally in a match at street tennis occasionally, and even then, I couldn't even get one point past her. That match...it's as if Rikkaidai are not even letting them play the match. I know Rika. She's cheerful and fun to be with outside the courts, same with a few of Rikkaidai's regulars, but once on the courts, they're all business. Rika told me before: Rikkaidai's law is that losing is forbidden. They never go easy on any opponent, no matter who they are." Ann clenched her hands into fists. "When Rika first got wind that Rikkaidai's opponents in the semi-finals is Fudomine, she had already warned me. I appreciate that warning. But I don't know if Kamio-kun and the others think the same. Rikkaidai is completely making fools out of us."

Ann turned to the video which Inui had paused which was that of Marui and Rika. The former was blowing a bubblegum whilst the latter was tapping her racquet on her shoulder. "They weren't even showing their real strength," she muttered. "I know that Rika wore weights on both wrists and ankles all the time and she wasn't even forced to remove it during the match. The same goes for all Rikkaidai's regulars."

"Now that you mention it," mused Oishi, staring at the screen. "Shiba-san from Monthly Pro Tennis was talking about it. Rikkaidai's regulars were all Tezuka-class players. In other words, National-level players. And without a doubt, Rika-san is too, even if she is their only female regular."

Kikumaru turned towards Oishi. "All the regulars are like Tezuka?! That's crazy..."

The doubles two match ended in a mere three minutes and Inui sighed, adjusting his glasses. "Next up is singles three," he said. "For Fudomine, it's Tachibana against Rikkaidai's Kirihara Akaya."

They all watched as the match commenced. Tachibana was fixing Kirihara with a stern look whilst Kirihara still had that goofy look in his eyes as he rubbed his nose.

"_One set match! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Kirihara to serve!"_

They watched as the match went on between Kirihara and Tachibana. Momoshiro blinked. "At least Tachibana is making it a real match."

"No," said Shiki, narrowing his eyes as he watched the match. "Tachibana-san...he's under a lot of pressure." He turned towards his teammates. "Think about it. If you're him and you've witnessed Rikkaidai's strength in both doubles matches, you'll be in a position where you're not allowed to lose."

"True..." admitted Oishi. "I would too if I was him."

"We too," said Ann, causing all attention to be focused on her, "we too gathered information on Rikkaidai. But it was useless."

Shiki frowned as the match between Tachibana and Kirihara continued. "It seems as if Tachibana-san is barely returning Kirihara's shots," he commented and Fuji nodded, agreeing. The freshman scowled as the match continued. "He's forcing Tachibana-san to move about...especially with his right foot injured."

"Why didn't Yukimura or Sanada stop Kirihara?" asked Momoshiro. "With someone of Kirihara's skill, he shouldn't have to do that to win."

No one answered him.

"_Game and match! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Kirihara! 6-1!"_

The television screen went blank.

"How's Tachibana?"

"He's hospitalised," answered Ann. "For an injured ligament and he's scheduled for an X-ray to make sure that he didn't have any broken bones."

Everyone fell silent.

"I can't believe this," said Oishi at last, breaking the silence. "Fudomine lost that badly to them? And Rika-san wasn't even forced to use her left hand, even though she's a left hander. And Tachibana is a National level player and he even lost to a sophomore by 6-0."

"This time, Marui and Rika-san played in doubles two," said Inui, straightening his glasses. "Sanada and Yanagi played in doubles one. Without a doubt, Rikkaidai will send their best doubles teams and singles players against us during the finals."

Oishi frowned. "What do you think about the match line-ups, Inui?"

"Doubles two will most probably be Marui Bunta and Kuwahara Jackal," said Inui, flipping through his notebook. "Doubles one will most probably be Yagyuu Hiroshi and Niou Masaharu. Those four make up Rikkaidai's best doubles teams. Marui and Rika-san are good as a doubles pair, but not good enough for Rikkaidai's standards. Probably why Yukimura decided to let them play as doubles in the match against Fudomine. Then singles three will most probably be...Yanagi. Singles two will probably be Kirihara since he's one of their aces."

"Singles one?"

"I don't know," said Inui. "It could be one of three people – Yukimura, Sanada or Rika-san. But knowing Yukimura and Sanada's personalities, most probably, Rika-san will probably be playing in singles one."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_St Rudolph's dormitory:_

"Yuuta! You have a phone call!" called some random student, poking his head in the gym where Yuuta is currently in.

"Huh? Oh. Thank you."

Yuuta then headed to the receptionist desk where the phone is and picked up the receiver. "Moshi moshi?"

"_Yuuta."_

Yuuta blinked. "Aniki? What is it?"

"_You know Echizen Rika, right?"_

"Yeah," said Yuuta. "I heard. Your next opponent is Rikkaidai, right?"

"_Yeah. What's that girl like?"_

Yuuta frowned. "Well, if you're talking about tennis skill, I haven't even been able to get one point past her yet even though we've played countless times at street tennis. But she's mentioned once that she's not the strongest in the team. Only the 'Three Demons' of Rikkaidai have been able to defeat her so far, though she sometimes managed to beat Yanagi Renji."

"_I see."_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Day of match of finals of Kantou tournament:_

The rain was pelting down onto the ground and Seigaku were all gathered beneath the shelter whilst waiting for the authorities to decide whether the match between Seigaku and Rikkaidai will commence as because of the rain, the courts were all slippery. Ryuzaki is currently negotiating with the tennis authorities whilst leaving Ryoga in charge.

"What a drag," whined Kikumaru. "It was still warm and sunny when we left the school."

"Hello. How are you doing?"

The Seigaku regulars turned to see Ann and Kamio with umbrellas standing not too far away from them. "It's Fudomine," said Momoshiro. "Are you here to cheer for us?"

"Baka," scoffed Kamio. "We're here to attain information on Rikkaidai." He clenched his hands into fists. "We'll get back at them for the humiliation that we've suffered at the semi-finals."

"That's why I thought of recording the match and showing it to my brother," said Ann, showing a video camera in her hands.

Kaidoh who had been doing some light exercises to stretch his muscles stiffened all of a sudden and looked across the shelter to where a few tennis courts are. Ryoga who was present with the Seigaku regulars noticed Kaidoh's strange behaviour. "Hmm? What's wrong, Kaidoh?"

All the Seigaku regulars then turned to where Kaidoh was looking only to see a few tennis players in Rikkaidai's tennis jersey. Sanada Genichirou, Yanagi Renji, Kirihara Akaya, Marui Bunta as well as Echizen Rika were present. All were studying Seigaku with an unreadable expression, not caring that the rain was pelting down on them.

"Rikkaidai..." muttered Oishi.

"So that's Rikkaidai," muttered Shiki, staring at the Rikkaidai players, or more specifically, at their freshman regular.

Ann tightened her grip on her umbrella. "Kirihara..."

Sanada stared at them with an unreadable expression in his eyes, causing the Seigaku regulars to feel uncomfortable with his unnerving stare. "Let's go," said the fukubuchou before turning and leaving.

The rest of the team obeyed, but Kirihara walked towards Seigaku instead, a fact that Rika noticed and she stayed as well, staying behind Kirihara in case she needed to restrain the sophomore if things get ugly.

"Long time no see, Seigaku," said Kirihara before his eyes fell on Fuji. "Fuji Syusuke... With Tezuka-san's absence, you're Seigaku's ace. I hope you'll at least put up a little resistance during our game."

"What was that, you jerk?!" snarled Momoshiro.

"Sempai!" snapped Rika and everyone stared at Rika. Her eyes were cold and Seigaku now knew why Rikkaidai called her the 'Ice Princess'. "Mind your words."

"Hai. Sorry," said Kirihara, though he don't look to be sorry at all. He then noticed Fudomine. "Fudomine?" Ann and Kamio scowled at him. "Are you here to ask Seigaku for revenge?"

"There is still the Nationals!" growled Kamio. "This time, it won't go the way that it did the last time."

"I can't wait," sneered Kirihara. "Just don't give me another screwed game—"

"_Sempai!"_

Kirihara looked at Rika and even _he_ shivered at the cold look in her eyes which spoke wonders. He knew what the message that the girl was trying to tell him and he'll do best to obey.

"I'll look forward to having a match with you," said Kirihara, looking at Fuji. "Though in the end, the victors will be Rikkaidai."

"We'll see about that," said Fuji coldly.

Rika could almost see sparks flying between both of their eyes as she sighed inwardly. "Oh well, I tried," she muttered. "It's not my fault if fukubuchou is mad at you, sempai."

"Kirihara. Rika."

Both Rikkaidai players turned towards the voice only to see that it's their fukubuchou. "Sanada-san," greeted Kirihara.

"What are both of you doing?" asked Sanada with a frown. "Hurry up and come to the meeting place."

"Hai," drawled Rika. "We'll be right over. Sempai here just felt that it's necessary to introduce himself to our opponents."

Sanada raised an incredulous eyebrow. "Hoh? What good manners, Akaya," he said sarcastically. "If you don't hurry to the meeting place, Yukimura will be doubling your weights. Rika, you too." He added, glancing at their female freshman regular.

"We'll be right over," said Rika before turning towards Sanada with Kirihara close behind her, but not before Rika glanced apologetically at the Fudomine pair which Kamio and Ann returned with a nod. Ryoga hadn't said anything so far as on one side is his team and on the other side is his baby sister. The poor guy had no idea who to help.

"Hold it right there, Rikkaidai-san," said Momoshiro with a frown on his face. Sanada, Rika and Kirihara stopped in their tracks, turning their heads to look at Momoshiro. "Would it be all right if I said a few words?" The Rikkaidai trio seemed to be studying him. "Since your player decided to give us a piece of his mind."

"I don't know what he said nor is it necessary to know," said Sanada. "Furthermore, whatever Akaya said is bound to be worse if Rika isn't here to stop him. You should be thankful to her."

"What did you say?!"

"It's something you'll understand only when you play us," said Sanada, continuing as if there had been no interruptions. "Without Tezuka, you have no chance of beating us, even if Yukimura isn't playing. And even if you had Tezuka, the result will be the same." He turned to his two kouhais. "Let's go."

Rika and Kirihara nodded before they followed their fukubuchou to their meeting place which is outside some cafe in the tennis park where the rest of the regulars were gathered. Yanagi looked up from his notebook.

"Akaya. Rika. You're late."

"Sorry," apologised Rika. "I have to make sure that sempai don't get into a fight." She glared at Kirihara who 'meeped' beneath her glare. "He found it necessary to introduce himself before our match. What good manners, don't you think?" She said sarcastically.

"Come on," whined Kirihara. "I was just checking out our prey."

"Fuji Syusuke, huh?" mused Yanagi and Kirihara smirked. "Is he good enough to play against you?"

"I can only hope so," said Kirihara. "Fudomine's Tachibana is a letdown, and to think that he's a National level player!"

Rika sighed before rummaging in her tennis bag and taking out her racquet, catching the attention of all Rikkaidai players. "Where are you going, Rika?" asked Yanagi.

"I'm going to go and do some practice and warm up for a bit until the official announcement came on," said Rika before leaving with her racquet tucked beneath her arm.

**

* * *

**"I can't believe those guys!" growled Momoshiro, swinging his racquet haphazardly in the rain.

"Kirihara Akaya and Echizen Rika, huh?" mused Inui, flipping through his notebook. "They looked even more intimidating than the last time we saw them."

**

* * *

**Rika waited until a droplet fell from a leaf before she served a tennis ball and it came in direct contact with the droplet, scattering the water in all directions. She smiled, satisfied, before she heard the thud of a tennis ball being bounced continuously on the ground before turning to see Seigaku's freshman prodigy standing not too far away from her.

Rika frowned, but ignored him before returning to her practice. This was a practice that Sanada had arranged for her to quicken her hand-to-eye coordination. As another droplet fell from a leaf, she served again only to hear the tell-tale sign of a ball being served as well only to see that Shiki had also served at the same time only to have his ball hitting through a droplet as well.

Rika narrowed her eyes dangerously before turning towards Shiki, tapping her racquet on her shoulder. Rika isn't very tall as it is, being continuously called 'chibi' by Niou and Kirihara sometimes. And this freshman was around her height as well, despite being called a prodigy by Seigaku and the reporters from Monthly Pro Tennis.

"Is there anything that you need?" asked Rika.

"Today's match was postponed because of the rain."

"I expected as much. And?"

"I don't think that you could bear to wait one week either, right?"

Rika frowned. "What are you trying to say?"

"Have a match with me."

**

* * *

**"The match will be postponed for a week because of the rain," said Yukimura after having came from the authorities' office.

"I see."

Yukimura looked left and right just then. "Where's Rika?"

"She was saying something about warming up earlier," said Marui. "I'll go and get her since the match has been postponed."

"I'll come with you," said Niou before Yagyuu and Kirihara decided to come along as well.

**

* * *

**"You're really okay with this?" asked Rika with a frown as she watched Shiki set his tennis bag down on the ground. "If the Board finds out that we have a match before the finals, I don't think it'll just blow over for you. Your school will be in trouble, you know that?"

"We can stop if you're getting nervous."

Rika snorted. "You're just like what Sora said," she muttered, unzipping her bag and removing her tennis racquet before unzipping her jacket and walking out to the courts. "One set match. Is that okay?"

"Okay."

"I hadn't introduced myself yet, have I?" said Rika, bouncing the tennis ball onto the court. "I am Rikkaidai Fuzoku's freshman, Echizen Rika. You are?"

"Seigaku's freshman, Shinderui Shiki."

Rika smirked. "Sora is pretty good at sports," she said. "Not up to Rikkaidai's standard, but still pretty good. I heard that he's the captain of the basketball club when he was in elementary school. Let's see if you, being his cousin, is as good as him."

"I won't disappoint you," was all that Shiki said.

**

* * *

**This was the scene that the four Rikkaidai regulars who came to get Rika came across. "Wait," said Yagyuu, stretching out an arm to stop Marui from shouting for Rika.

"Yagyuu?"

"Let's watch, shall we?" said Yagyuu, adjusting his glasses. "And see how the so-called freshman prodigy, Shinderui Shiki fare against our own freshman ace."

**

* * *

**"Here I go," said Rika, tossing the ball up in the air before her racquet came in contact with it and before Shiki knew it, Rika had already attained one point against him. The look on Shiki's face was one of shock.

He had never seen his cousin's best friend play before, unless you count the match that he had seen on the videotape that Inui had shown Seigaku, and she's better than the rumours stated and from what he had seen from the tape.

"15-0," said Rika.

And that was how the game continued for the next minute. Shiki could not even see Rika's shots coming and couldn't even counter them. Yet, Shiki could tell that Rika was still holding back on him, not showing all her true skills.

**

* * *

**"Seems like the training that Sanada had put her through is working wonders," commented Yagyuu and the rest nodded. "If that is so, we have to work harder as well."

**

* * *

**Rika walked off the courts, leaving a severely shocked Shiki behind on the courts. He could not so much as get a point past her, let alone see her shots and it ended with a game count of 6-0.

"What do you think, Rika?" asked Marui.

"He's good, I admit that," said Rika. "Better than I expected. But..."

"Not good enough, right?" said Yagyuu, straightening his glasses. "We were watching the match, if you can even call it that. You didn't even get serious against him as you had been playing _right handed_ all the time."

"Yeah."


	15. Training! Training! Training!

**Chapter Fourteen: Training! Training! Training!**

Ryoga zipped his duffel bag and sighed, nodding to himself. "That's about it," he muttered.

Ryuzaki had gathered the entire tennis team together the day before, arranging for the tennis team to go for some training at Karuizawa for the week before the finals when they will be facing Rikkaidai. He had taken leave from his lessons at college for a week on the condition that his schoolwork don't suffer and he's gotten Nanako who go to the same college that he does to get notes from his classmates.

The house was nearly empty as his mother had flown back to America the day before to handle a court case and his father was out in the temple ringing the bell. Nanako was at college and his sister was at school training.

With a sigh, Ryoga picked up his duffel bag before walking out of the room. As he passed by his sister's room, he hesitated for a moment before opening the door and entering her room. It was a typical girl's room, though not decorated with girlish stuff like most of the girls at his college. The walls of Rika's room was painted with a baby blue colour whilst the ceiling was dotted with several glow-in-the-dark stars as everyone in the Echizen family knew that the lone Echizen girl of the family loves watching the stars at night. Rika's bed was set in a corner of the room with her desk beneath the window, several books stacked neatly in a corner of the desk, with a table lamp on the other corner and a computer on the desk and a television in a corner of the room with a Playstation attached to it.

"Meow."

Ryoga blinked as their family's Himalayan cat entered the room, meowing as he looked at Ryoga with those big blue eyes of his before leaping onto Rika's bed and leaping onto the dresser set behind her bed which had three photo frames on it.

The first was a photo taken when the Echizen family were still in America which was taken a year before Yuki's death and at the finals of a tennis tournament when St. Andrews had won. Rika, Kevin and Yuki were all in their school's tennis jersey with Rika standing in the middle, Kevin and Yuki on either side of her. All three had the medals around their necks, smiling at the camera.

The second was a photo taken at the Sakura Festival which she'd gone with her team captain, and now, boyfriend, months ago. And the third photo was that of Rikkaidai's tennis regular team. Ryoga picked up the photo frame containing that photo and studied it.

Rika and Kirihara were standing in the front of the group, slightly slouched over, both hands forming the peace sign, smiling at the camera whilst Marui and Niou were both grinning at the camera, flexing their muscles. Jackal, Yagyuu and Sanada were the stoic ones in the group photo, merely smirking at the camera, standing straight. Yanagi and Yukimura were standing in the middle, smiling serenely. All nine were dressed in their tennis jerseys.

'_Rikkaidai...' _mused Ryoga. _'Is a week enough time for us to face them in the Kantou finals?'_

His sister had avoided him for two days ever since the match had been postponed and Ryoga was hurt about it until his mother had explained to him that Rika had enough sense to avoid Ryoga until the match between Rikkaidai and Seigaku is over especially with the tense atmosphere surrounding the tennis teams of these two schools.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Two days later, Rikkaidai Middle High:_

A group of tennis club members – first years, by the look of things – were practicing racquet swinging as Inoue Mamoru walked up to one.

"Excuse me," he said politely. "I'm from Monthly Pro Tennis. I'm here to report on Rikkaidai's special training. Could you lead me to your captain?"

"Oh. Okay. Come this way."

**

* * *

**Sanada was waiting outside the training center which the tennis regulars usually used for their training. The fukubuchou of Rikkaidai was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest as the freshman leading Inoue ran up to him.

"Sanada-san, he is from Monthly Pro Tennis."

"Okay," said Sanada, straightening himself up. "You may return."

"Excuse me." The freshman excused himself with a bow.

"I'm Inoue." Inoue introduced himself.

"I'm Sanada," said Sanada. "I'm the fukubuchou of Rikkaidai's tennis club. Our captain is currently held up somewhere, thus, I'll be the one showing you around."

"Hai."

"Then, come this way."

And Sanada led Inoue into the training center and down the hallway which led to the training area where majority of the tennis regulars are currently at. "This is the training area," said Sanada as he opened the door, allowing Inoue to enter. "Please enter."

"Thank you," said Inoue as he entered the training area and stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes widening in shock. "This is...!"

Yanagi Renji was in one of the tennis courts, with three ball machines on the other side of the court before tennis balls were fired from the machines at maximum speeds which Yanagi returned with no problem.

A few of the tennis regulars were seated in the bleachers, taking a short break with Riku and Sora among them still in their school uniforms, watching Rika train.

On the next court next to Yanagi, Rika was facing three ball machines with her eyes closed before tennis balls were fired simultaneously which she returned with no problem even with her eyes closed.

"That girl..." muttered Inoue. "She's..."

"You've heard of her too?" asked Sanada, watching Rika's training. "Yeah, she's one of our aces, a freshman and our only female regular." He then raised his voice. "Rika, increase the speed of the ball machines by fifty percent!"

"Hai!"

"Next up, Kirihara!" shouted Sanada.

"Hai..." drawled Kirihara before making his way down from the bleachers to the last remaining court where three ball machines were also waiting for him.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Karuizawa:_

Ryoga blew on his whistle in irritation as Kawamura lost his balance on the rocks and fell into the river. "You didn't come here to swim!"

"Sorry..."

Ever since arriving at their training camp, Ryoga had been especially irritated. No one said anything, but everyone knew that it had something to do with Rikkaidai and the fact that his sister is one of their next opponents and it is highly likely that she had a key part to play in their next match. And add that to the fact that everyone knew Seigaku's chances of winning Rikkaidai is nearly nil...well, you can piece together the picture.

Ryoga sighed as Kawamura picked himself out from the river and continued after the rest of the team in their run and looked up towards the sky, shielding his eyes from the sun.

'_Rika...I wonder what she's doing now?' _he wondered miserably to himself.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kirihara smirked as the three tennis balls came at him simultaneously from the ball machines before flexing his wrist and returning all three.

'_Wow,'_ thought Inoue, his eyes wide. _'Rikkaidai's sophomore ace...Kirihara Akaya is good! It's hard enough to return them as it is, but he not only managed to return them, but returned them all to the same spot!'_

As if Sanada knew what Inoue is thinking, he immediately said, "I agree that he's good, but so far, other than myself, our captain and Yanagi as well as Rika, no one have been able to return the balls fired at maximum speeds from the ball machines with their eyes closed yet."

"Is that even possible?!" Inoue gaped at Sanada, despite the fact that it probably didn't look too good.

Sanada smirked with amusement. "She's doing it, isn't she?" said the vice-captain, jerking his chin towards Rika's direction and Inoue looked only to see that another two ball machines have been added to the three facing Rika and that the freshman girl was holding her racquet to her side, her eyes closed before all five ball machines fired tennis balls simultaneously at her which she returned to the same spot with no problem.

"I'll show you Rikkaidai's true strength," said Sanada, taking his tennis racquet which is leaning against the wall before calling out to the three still practicing on the courts. "Yanagi! Akaya! Rika! Take a quick break!"

"Okay."

Inoue then watched as the fukubuchou of Rikkaidai walked to the available court, all the while thinking, _'Fukubuchou Sanada-kun...'_

"Raise the speed of the balls by 5 km/h!" ordered Sanada which was immediately obeyed and he returned them all with no problem, much to Inoue's surprise and shock. "Shorten the time interval by 0.5 seconds."

"Hai."

'_That's reckless! There's no way that he can return them!'_

However...

Inoue rubbed his eyes to make sure that he's not seeing things as he could swear that he saw Sanada's arms blurred for a split second before the balls were all returned to the same spot. Kirihara and Rika who were both leaning against the wall behind the court that Sanada is currently on, watched their fukubuchou's training and Kirihara grinned.

"I can't compete with that," he said with a whine. "But Rika, you could."

Rika snorted with amusement. "It's not my fault that you failed the sound training, is it?"

'_Seigaku's next opponents...Rikkaidai...they're __**this **__good?!' _thought Inoue in disbelief. _'Seigaku...just what did they get themselves into?!'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Monthly Pro Tennis:_

Inoue waited until the line connected before his kouhai picked up her phone. "Shiba? It's me."

"_Inoue-sempai? What's wrong?"_

"I went to see Rikkaidai's special training today," said Inoue, still remembering what he had seen at the training at Rikkaidai. He bit on his lower lip. "They're unbelievably good! To be honest, no matter how much Seigaku trains and no matter how hard they tries, it will be difficult for them to win. I'm not sure if they can even win against Rikkaidai."

"_Are they really that good, Inoue-sempai?"_

"Yeah. That's why I was curious as to how Seigaku's training is going."

"_Err..." _muttered Shiba on the other line, not bringing herself to tell her sempai that she had ended up lost at Karuizawa whilst searching for Seigaku's tennis camp.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Two days later:_

After her shower that night, Rika turned on her computer only to see that she's received an email from Kevin:

'_Rika,_

_Good news! The case is __**finally **__over and my father will now be behind bars for a long long time. I'll be in Japan in another month or so. The American Goodwill Games is around the corner and the Tennis Association had decided to send St. Andrews as the representative school to Japan. I hope that you'll be one of the players selected._

_Kevin'_

Rika sighed, leaning back into her chair. She had just been to Hyotei that day as well as Riku had his music training and Atobe had cornered her just before Riku had finished his music training with Sakaki. Apparently, Tezuka had contacted Atobe and had asked for his help in helping his team to get ready for the finals against Rikkaidai. Like Ryoga, Atobe was torn in two and decided on the best course of action: ask Rika.

"I don't mind," said Rika when Atobe told her about Tezuka's request with the rest of Hyotei's tennis team listening. "If they're stronger, it will be interesting, won't it? That's what a tennis match is all about. Furthermore..."

"Furthermore?"

"Not that I'm trying to blow my own horn, but if Seigaku could not get at least five games against Hyotei, they stand no chance in beating Rikkaidai. And if they lose to you, they won't beat us. I'm not the strongest in my team, Kei. The strongest are the Three Demons of Rikkaidai. Even if I _did_ manage to beat Yanagi-sempai by 7-6, it's only by sheer damn luck. He won't make the same mistake again. But, Kei." Rika turned to her cousin. "I do have a request. I want you to play against that freshman of theirs. He's rather interesting..."

And so, the last that Rika had heard was that Atobe had arranged for transport to Karuizawa for the entire Hyotei team to play against Seigaku for practice matches.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The day of the finals was looming near and the day before the finals, Yukimura was scheduled at the hospital for his monthly check-up to ensure that his illness doesn't act up again, and thus, he had missed tennis practice for that day.

Jackal and Rika were the ones practicing with Kirihara that day as Sanada and Yukimura had a slight suspicion that the tensai would be placed in singles two which is the spot that Kirihara is going to take. Yanagi, Sanada and Yukimura had already decided on the match line-ups for their match against Seigaku the day before and had already announced it to the team.

Doubles two will be Marui and Jackal. Doubles one will be Niou and Yagyuu. Singles three will be Yanagi. Singles two will be Kirihara. And singles one, most surprisingly, will be Rika.

"Seigaku is nothing!" whined Kirihara as the trio went to the hospital in their school uniforms, especially since they had came straight from school. "We'll beat them easily."

Jackal sighed and Rika wisely decided not to say anything especially since she's already nursing a major migraine. "That's not the point, Akaya!" reprimanded Jackal. "That's not reason enough to ditch training! Sanada and Yukimura are gonna kill us! You're captain after we graduate with Rika as vice-captain! Act like one, for the love of kami-sama, before Yukimura decided to make Rika captain instead."

"But then, why is my training menu twice as hard as everyone else's?" whined Kirihara and Rika fought the urge to ask Kirihara if he's a teenager or a baby in a teenager's body.

Jackal rolled his eyes. "It's the sempais' way of showing their love."

"Well, I really don't like it."

"Then do you _want _my training menu?" asked Rika with exasperation and Kirihara gulped. Rika's training is _three times_ worst than anyone else's, and she still did it without complain.

"No thanks."

Kirihara then looked past Rika into a hospital room with the door opened. "What's wrong, Akaya?" asked Jackal.

Before either Jackal or Rika could stop him, Kirihara walked past them and into the hospital room where Fuji Syusuke was inside the room with Tachibana Kippei lying on the hospital bed.

"This is quite a surprise," said Kirihara, appearing at the door.

"Rikkaidai Fuzoku," muttered Fuji, his eyes wide opened.

"Kirihara Akaya," mused Tachibana.

"What's wrong, Tachibana's sister?" said a voice just then and Rika turned to see Momoshiro Takeshi entering the room. Kirihara and Jackal turned as well and the former smirked.

"More of you from Seigaku?"

"Kirihara..."

Ann appeared at the entrance just then, nearly spitting fire. "What are _you _doing here?!" she nearly yelled, pointing a finger at Kirihara.

"I've heard that you were hospitalised," said Kirihara, turning towards Tachibana. "But I didn't know that it's this hospital. But what are Fudomine and Seigaku doing together?"

The atmosphere was so tense that a knife could cut through it.

Rika groaned to herself. "It's not my fault if fukubuchou hears about it..." she mumbled so that only Jackal can hear her.

"Or could you be preparing this room for tomorrow's match?" Kirihara sneered, ignoring Jackal's warning look.

"Stop it, sempai," said Rika sharply. "We're not here to pick a fight."

"Don't worry, Rika," said Kirihara. "I'm just here to greet them." He then walked forwards a few steps. "Hey, Tachibana-san. I'm not going to apologise for what I did nor am I going to sympathise with you."

The faces of Ann and Momoshiro darkened considerably and Rika frowned, ready to step in at a moment's notice if things get ugly.

"What did you say, you jerk?!" snarled Momoshiro before moving in onto Kirihara before anyone can stop him only to be stopped by Rika who stood between Momoshiro and Kirihara. "Get out of the way!"

Rika raised an incredulous brow. "So that you can hurt our player?" she asked. "I don't think so."

"Look, I don't care if you're a girl, just get out of the way or you'll get hurt!"

"I admit that sempai might have gone a little too far," said Rika, a slight growl creeping into her voice. "But two wrongs don't make a right. If you hit him, you'll be in the wrong as well."

"What did you say?!"

Kirihara caught Momoshiro's fist before it landed on Rika, his eyes flashing. "You _dare _to hit a girl?" he growled. "And our buchou's girlfriend? I might not be one to speak, but at least I _don't_ hit girls!"

"Stop it, Momo!" snapped Fuji, one hand on his kouhai's shoulder.

"Sempai, let's go," said Rika, one hand on Kirihara's shoulder. "We're late as it is."

"Aa."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The clinking of keys sounded as Rika's keys dropped onto the road. "Ah." She sighed as she bent to pick up her keys before a hand yanked her backwards just as a motorcycle whizzed past her.

"Be careful!" snapped a voice and Rika blinked as she turned to see Shinderui Shiki behind her.

"You are..."

**

* * *

**"Oi."

Rika sighed as she turned towards Shiki – the freshman had been following her ever since she had dropped her keys and she was seriously quite sick of it. "What?"

"Could you humour me for a bit? I want to repay the favour."

**

* * *

**_Street tennis:_

Rika sighed as she faced Shiki in the tennis courts, tapping her racquet onto her shoulder. "You sure are stubborn," she muttered. "You hadn't learned your lesson yet? No matter how many times we do this, the result will be the same."

Shiki didn't answer, but merely tightened his grip on the tennis ball that he was holding and Rika narrowed her eyes as Shiki served the ball to her before she caught it with her racquet and her eyes widened a slight fraction as the power of the ball had strengthened, compared to when Shiki had first played against her and returned it to Shiki's court.

Shiki growled before returning the ball with full force which landed in Rika's court and attained a point. Rika looked at the spot where the ball had entered and turned towards Shiki. "It definitely seems that you have improved since we've last played," she commented.

"Thank you," said Shiki, bouncing a ball onto the court. "Here's the next one."

"It might be interesting to end our duel here," said Rika, turning towards Shiki. "Especially since we won't be facing each other in the finals of the Kantou tournament tomorrow."

Shiki's eyes widened and he turned towards Rika. "What do you mean by that? You're not playing in the match tomorrow?"

"No," said Rika with a shake of her head. "Our captain and vice-captain decided to sit this one out. I'm in singles one. The finals will end in three matches and Rikkaidai will clinch the championship in singles three. I won't get to play."

Shiki scowled. "I quit," he said, walking towards the sidelines where his tennis bag is.

"What's wrong?" asked Rika. "Are you scared?"

"I'll return the favour during the finals tomorrow," said Shiki, picking up his bag. "Especially since Seigaku will win tomorrow." He then waved slightly at Rika as he left. "Later."

Rika sighed as she watched Shiki left the courts before walking to her bag and smiled slightly. _'Niisan...you've sure sent someone very interesting as my opponent.'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Seigaku tennis clubroom:_

"So this is it then," said Oishi on the bench, looking at the whiteboard on which was scribbled several diagrams and words.

Ryoga and Ryuzaki nodded. "Aa," said Ryuzaki. "This is the best line-up that we can think up."

One of the words written on the board was: _doubles two, Kaidoh and Momoshiro._


	16. Finals! Seigaku versus Rikkaidai!

**Chapter Sixteen: Finals! Seigaku versus Rikkaidai! I'll Be the One to Win!**

_Day of finals, Echizen Residence, 5:00am:_

"_Kiss me sweet...I'm sleeping in silence—"_

Rika reached for her cellphone sleepily whilst Karupin meowed with displeasure whilst in her bed, being woken up from a nice dream full of mice and fishes. Rika answered her phone, stifling a yawn. "Whoever this is, be thankful that I don't know where you live or—"

"_Rika? It's me."_

Rika blinked her eyes opened before taking a look at the caller ID of her cellphone only to see the name 'Marui Bunta' on it and nearly groaned out loud. "Have you any idea what time is it?" Rika asked, a low growl coming into her voice.

"_Sorry," _said Marui sheepishly. _"Can you come to the street tennis courts not too far away from the destination of the finals now? I want to get some practice done."_

"Now?" asked Rika before looking at the clock on her mantelpiece. "Okay. It's not like I can get back to sleep anyway."

**

* * *

**"Today is the finals, isn't it?" said Nanako from the doorway as Rika put on her tennis shoes, already dressed in her tennis jersey with her tennis bag beside her. "Do you want me to go and cheer for you?"

"No," said Rika, turning to look at her cousin. "Don't bother."

"It's alright," said Nanako with a smile. "I hardly ever see you play in your matches anyway. Where is it?"

"It's written in today's paper," said Rika. "I'm running late. I'll see you later, Nanako."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Street tennis courts:_

"What did you call me out here for anyway?" asked Rika as both herself and Marui walked out to the courts. It was early in the morning and there wasn't a single soul present at the street tennis courts. "It's surprising. You're usually so difficult to wake in the morning that I have to go and get you for our matches so that you wouldn't be late."

"Just some last minute practice," said Marui with a smile. "I also want to try out a technique which isn't a volley technique in case my volley techniques ever get sealed off."

Rika raised an eyebrow. "Okay," she said slowly. "Any preferred techniques for me to use?"

Marui nodded, getting into position. "Whirlpool Serve."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Tokyo district, Shinderui Residence:_

"It's the finals today, isn't it?" said Shinderui Shirai, Shiki's elder brother who is a first year student in Tokyo University. "I've heard that today's opponents are pretty strong. Will you be alright?"

"Aa," said Shiki who was putting on his shoes. "Don't worry, aniki. I'll be alright."

"I'll come and cheer for you if I can after my classes at college today," said Shirai. "I only have morning lessons. Ganbatte, Shiki. Sora-kun and Riku-kun will be there as well, aren't they?"

Shiki nodded. "Their friend is that freshman regular of Rikkaidai, thus, they're bound to be there," he said. "I'll be alright, aniki."

Shirai smiled and nodded. "Ganbatte, Shiki."

**

* * *

**_Kikumaru Residence:_

"It's your big day today. You don't have to cook, Eiji."

"Don't worry about it, neesan," said Eiji who was making an omelette at the stove. The youngest of the Kikumaru family have to learn how to cook if he don't want to die of food poisoning since the rest of his family couldn't cook to save their lives. Eiji then flipped the omelette which landed neatly on a plate. "The omelette is ready!"

**

* * *

**_Inui Residence:_

Inui Sadaharu had already been up at the crack of dawn, calculating his data for today's much anticipated match between Rikkaidai and Seigaku, a jug of his dreadful and much feared Inui juice sitting on his desk as he flipped through his notebook before placing it down on his desk with a sigh.

'_All the regulars on the champion Rikkaidai Fuzoku's team are at National level,' _he thought. He then turned to look at the photo frame on his desk which was taken when he was still in elementary school which was that of him and his best friend. _'Renji...' _

Inui then picked up his notebook again and flipped through it. _'I'll organise the data again. Even if it means increasing our chances by one percent...'_

A table diagram consisting of all of Seigaku and Rikkaidai's stats and results of their past tennis matches had been added up and totalled and the final column at the bottom was written: _'Chances of winning: 0.001 percent'_

**

* * *

**_Fuji Residence:_

Fuji Syusuke was putting on his shoes as his elder sister came up behind him. "Do you want me to drive you there?" asked Fuji Yumiko with concern.

"No, it's alright."

"I'll come and cheer for you if there's enough time," said Yumiko with a pleasant smile and Syusuke nodded.

"Thank you, neesan."

**

* * *

**_Kawamura Sushi:_

"I don't care if you're a substitute, Takeshi," said Mr Kawamura. "I'll come and watch you later."

"Our goal is the Nationals," said Takeshi with a nod. "I can play after that."

Mr Kawamura laughed. "That's the spirit!" he said. "Keep that attitude up!"

**

* * *

**_Oishi Residence:_

Oishi Shuichiro was watching his fishes swimming in the fish tank before walking out of his room, snapping off the lights of his room.

'_Tezuka, I will keep my promise to you.'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Street tennis courts:_

Rika sighed, looking pointedly at the bruises on Marui's body as he panted heavily. "Chotto, will you be alright for the match later?" she asked. "You're playing in the first match, aren't you?"

"Aa," said Marui, getting to his feet once more. "Once more, Rika. I think I've almost got it."

Rika sighed. "Alright," she said. "One last one. Then we have to get to our meeting point."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Tennis Arena:_

"Marui. Are you alright?" asked Niou, looking at the bruises on Marui's body pointedly. "You look as if you've just gotten into a fight."

"I'm fine," said Marui, waving off Niou's concerns as they settled down into the chairs outside the cafe of the tennis arena. Not too far away from where Rikkaidai were seated are Seigaku and Kirihara watched as five of the regular members arrived.

"Here they are," said Kirihara.

"I wonder who we'll face," mused Marui, chewing on a bubblegum.

"The result will be the same, anyway," said Niou.

"But we can't underestimate them," said Jackal and Rika agreed.

"There are several passionate guys on Seigaku's team," remarked Yanagi with his arms crossed over his chest.

"All we can do is play at our best," said Yagyuu.

"Alright," said Yukimura, studying the match line-ups for the last time. "Let's go."

Sanada and Yukimura then both went to the receptionist to hand in their match line-ups form and some random guy from Seigaku gaped.

"Rikkaidai is submitting their line-up," said Arai. "We should hurry and do the same."

"No," said Ryoga, biting on his lower lip nervously, looking at the line-up form in his hand. "Our doubles two pair is Momoshiro and Kaidoh. If they don't arrive, we can't start."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Niou frowned as majority of Rikkaidai's tennis regulars were gathered near the registration booth. "Is Seigaku having a strategic meeting or something?" asked Niou.

"Who are we facing?" asked Marui, popping his bubblegum.

"They're still missing a couple of people," said Sanada, studying Seigaku.

Jackal frowned. "Now that you mention it, the spiky haired guy we met at the hospital isn't here yet," he said.

"That bandanna dude isn't here too," added Kirihara.

"Momoshiro Takeshi and Kaidoh Kaoru," said Rika. "Seigaku's only sophomore regulars."

Marui grinned as he placed a hand on Rika's shoulder. "Are they planning to forfeit?"

"No," said Jackal, shaking his head. "The Kantou finals are just as important to them, if not more. They wouldn't forfeit just like this."

"But what's holding them up?" frowned Rika, looking at the clock. "If they don't register within ten minutes, it's considered forfeiture on their part."

"Who knows?" sighed Yagyuu.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Well, at least it looks like we'll get to play Seigaku after all," remarked Kirihara as the Rikkaidai team watched Seigaku at the registration booth. The two MIA players had finally turned up with five minutes to go for the deadline, though Kaidoh was wet through with mud on his clothes.

"One would think that he's just jumped into a river to save a dog or something," remarked Rika and several miles away, a puppy sneezed.

"Alright, it's time for the finals," said Yukimura. "Let's go!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_We will now start the Kantou Regional finals between Rikkaidai Fuzoku and Seishun Gakuen."_

The entire regular team of both Rikkaidai and Seigaku were gathered onto the courts as a formality greeting. The stands were also crowded with several people – most whom were former opponents of both Seigaku and Rikkaidai. Fudomine were also gathered in the stands in casual clothing, minus Tachibana who was still in the hospital. Even Hyotei was also present, standing at the fence, all in their school uniforms. Keigo was interested in how his cousin will fare against the school that had beaten Hyotei once and he was also interested to know how strong she is now.

"It's finally the finals," said Shiba.

Inoue nodded. "The atmosphere is pretty tense," he remarked. "Everyone has their eye on the champions, Rikkaidai." He then looked at the members of Rikkaidai's tennis team. "Marui Bunta, the volley specialist. Kuwahara Jackal, the defense specialist. Niou Masaharu, the man with the moves. Yagyuu Hiroshi, the gentleman. Kirihara Akaya, the sophomore ace. Yanagi Renji, the master is also here. The rumoured female freshman regular, Echizen Rika, their freshman ace. Japan's second best tennis player in the middle school circuit, the Emperor, Sanada Genichirou. And finally, Japan's number one player, the Child of God, Yukimura Seiichi."

"Even though both the vice-captain and captain aren't playing in this year's Kantou finals, Rikkaidai is still invincible," said Shiba, lowering her camera.

**

* * *

**"_Always win, Rikkaidai!"_

"_Let's go! Let's go! Rikkaidai!"_

The cheers of the cheerleaders from Rikkaidai which made up nearly half of the student population of Rikkaidai Fuzoku echoed over the courts. Riku and Sora were also seated in the bleachers where the regulars will sit later, dressed in their school uniforms.

"It's only the finals," muttered Marui, blowing a bubblegum as they headed back to the bleachers with Yukimura seated on the bench as bench coach. "They're too loud."

"Rika, that freshman's been eyeing you from the start," said Kirihara, noticing the look that Shinderui Shiki was giving Rika. "Did something happen?"

"No."

"Is that so?" asked Marui, taking out one of his specially made cakes before munching on it – his habit before every match. Beside him, Jackal was shaving his head. "Then, let's go, Jackal."

The two then walked out to the courts, both noticing Yukimura shooting Momoshiro a death glare. Kirihara had told the team what had happened at the hospital the day before after Yukimura's check up and it was all that Rika could do to stop him or any of the regulars from going after Momoshiro and clawing him to pieces.

"Marui-kun, show me your stuff today," said Akutagawa Jiroh, looking at Marui with stars for eyes and on the courts, Marui shivered as his fanboys-are-near senses are tingling.

"Just do what you usually do," said Yukimura and Marui nodded, blowing out a bubblegum, his racquet tucked beneath his arm.

"Understood," said the redheaded volley specialist. "Let's play lightly."

"Okay."

"What is the Seigaku pair going to face Marui-sempai and Jackal-sempai like?" asked Sora, turning towards Yanagi.

Rika sighed. "They're that unbelievable doubles pair, Sora," she said, jerking her chin towards Seigaku's direction where Kaidoh Kaoru and Momoshiro Takeshi are both walking onto the courts and Riku and Sora blinked.

"EH?! They're playing doubles?!" Riku blinked. "You can't be serious!"

"Well, it seems like they've improved from the last time that we've seen them," said Rika reasonably. "The match is starting."

The Rikkaidai and Seigaku players were now facing each other on the courts and Marui smirked before doing a two-fingered salute. "This is a good chance for you to catch my genius-like moves," said Marui.

"Huh?"

Marui and Jackal then turned away from them, heading to their positions on the court before Momoshiro stopped them. "I'm sorry," said the power player. "But I'm going to have to ask the two of you something." Marui and Jackal turned towards him. "Remove the wrist weights."

Marui smirked. "Make us do it," he said.

"_One set match! Seigaku's Momoshiro to serve!"_

"It's finally starting," said Riku and Sora and Rika nodded.

'"_Make us do it", huh?' _mused Momoshiro as he threw the ball up into the air and served. _'I'll __**make**__ you do it!'_

"It's fast!"

"Nice serve!" cheered Aoi Kentarou of Rokkaku Middle School.

"It's over your side, Kaidoh!" called Momoshiro before Kaidoh rushed to return the ball and Jackal received it before hitting a lob and Momoshiro's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree before leaping into the air and hitting a Dunk Smash.

"It's here!" cheered Osakada Tomoka. "Momoshiro-sempai's Dunk Smash!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Game, Seigaku! 1-0!"

Marui and Jackal exchanged glances as Momoshiro and Kaidoh smacked their hands together. Yanagi smiled. "It's still too soon to celebrate, Seigaku," he said. "If it's an opponent's first service, they lose the first game pretty quickly, but winning percentage of the match is one hundred percent."

"It seems like they do have a plan for a team that made it to the finals," said Jackal and Marui nodded.

"It'll be more entertaining than I thought."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Rikkaidai's doubles pair are now getting serious. Their serves and returns are sharper and faster than before and the Seigaku pair are now having a little trouble receiving the shots.

"It's mine!" yelled Momoshiro as he dealt a Dunk Smash and Marui grinned as he ran up to the ball and returned it with a Rising Shot to the feet of the still airborne Momoshiro, gaining a point.

"15-0!"

Marui grinned. "We're just returning your greetings," he said.

**

* * *

**"Rikkaidai's Marui Bunta is playing much better than the time when Rikkaidai faced us," said Kamio, not taking his eyes away from the match.

"Inoue-sempai," said Shiba, turning towards Inoue. "I think Marui-kun just used the Rising Shot."

"Yeah," said Inoue, nodding. "It's a highly skilled move that requires hitting the ball on the rise. The difficulty of the shot increases with a fast shot like the Dunk Smash. On top of that, he hit it with pinpoint precision at the feet of the airborne Momoshiro-kun." He paused. "Hyotei's Akutagawa Jiroh's Rising is a copy of that."

**

* * *

**"Game, Rikkaidai Fuzoku! 1-1!"

Marui grinned as he returned another shot as a lob to Momoshiro and watched as the sophomore leapt into the air. _'It's probably another Dunk,' _he thought. _'Come, I'll return it with Rising.'_

"Take this!" yelled Momoshiro. "Super Momoshiro Dunk Smash!"

"I've got it," muttered Marui before one second, two seconds, three seconds went by and the ball was still spinning before Seigaku gained one point. "What?"

"0-15!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Here I go," muttered Kaidoh before he rushed to the sideline as Jackal returned Momoshiro's shot, and it was his stance that caused Rika's eyes to widen.

"That stance...!" she muttered. "Isn't that Hadoukyuu?!"

The muscles in Kaidoh's arm tightened before he returned the ball which curved around the pole and succeeded in knocking Jackal's racquet out of his hands, much to the defense player's disbelief and Marui's surprise.

"0-30!"

"Hadoukyuu Boomerang?" muttered Yanagi, scribbling into his notebook. "Not bad. So even Seigaku has something like that up their sleeve?"

"But it's still too early to celebrate for Seigaku," said Yagyuu, straightening his glasses as the umpire announced, "2-2!"

"I can't believe that they were holding those back," muttered Jackal.

"It's fine," said Marui. "It's fun, isn't it? Besides, it's entertaining to see how well they can keep up with us."

_Pop._

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"15-0!"

_Pop._

Marui burst his bubblegum as he exchanged glances with Jackal who nodded and turned his attention back to the Seigaku pair. _'Do I have to use 'that' on them when I've just completed it this morning?'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Game! Seigaku's Momoshiro-Kaidoh! 3-2!"

Jackal frowned as he looked at his hand where his racquet was blown out of his grip by Kaidoh's Boomerang Hadoukyuu.

"Here," said Marui, handing Jackal his racquet.

"Thanks."

**

* * *

**Sora whistled. "Not bad," he said.

"Yeah," agreed Rika, recognising the look in Marui and Jackal's eyes. "But it looks like our side is finally getting serious." She smiled. "Seigaku is in big trouble now."

Yagyuu who was sitting next to her didn't say anything but smile, pushing his glasses up his nose.

Marui and Jackal walked up to the bench where Yukimura nodded to them before the two slipped off their power wrists where it landed with a loud thud on the ground before straightening up. Yukimura frowned inwardly as he watched his two players walked back to the courts. _'I can't believe that they were pushed this far. But the result is clear now.'_

"So this is where you get serious," said Momoshiro with a grin.

"We can return your special moves now that we've taken them off," said Marui, flexing his wrist. "Or at least Jackal will."

Jackal blinked. "I will?"

Marui looked at his doubles partner. "What? You don't want to?"

**

* * *

**It was Marui's turn to serve and he grinned as he tightened his grip on the tennis ball in his hand before serving and it entered the court so quickly that Momoshiro and Kaidoh had no time to react, giving one point to Rikkaidai.

"15-0!"

The second ball was received by Kaidoh which Marui returned with a lob and which Momoshiro took the chance to hit a Super Dunk. Jackal had a glint in his eyes at that and immediately returned it to Seigaku's court, earning Rikkaidai another point.

"30-0!"

"I told you Jackal would get it," said Marui, blowing his bubblegum, his racquet on his shoulder.

And so, the game progresses and Marui was taken aback as a shot that Momoshiro returned to him used a move that he had only seen Seigaku's Rascal used once when he had went along with Rika, Sora, Riku and Yanagi to watch Seigaku's match against Yamabuki during the Tokyo tournament. "Jack Knife?!" And he dodged out of the way, much to Jackal's annoyance who reached the ball.

"Don't avoid it!" growled the Brazilian player, returning the shot.

Momoshiro managed to reach Jackal's shot, unfortunately leaving his left side wide opened, which Fudomine's Kamio Akira noticed and shouted to Momoshiro. "That's too far, Momoshiro! Your left side is open!"

Marui grinned as he ran up to the net. _'Time to give them a gift,' _he thought as he hit a drop volley.

Kaidoh immediately ran up to the net and Rika smiled, noticing the look in Marui's eye and leaned back onto the seat that she was sitting on a little. "Don't blink," she said and smiled. "Time to see Bunta's trademark move."

"There it is!" cheered Jiroh loudly, much to Hyotei's embarrassment. "Marui-kun's special move!"

Riku and Sora turned back towards the match only to see the ball hit the net before landing on it and rolling along the net and dropping into Seigaku's side of the court, much to the surprise and shock of all Seigaku players.

"Tightrope Walking," said Marui.

"W-What was that?" gasped Ryuzaki Sakuno. "T-The ball travelled atop the net?"

"I've heard about it, but I never thought that I'd see it here," said Inoue grimly.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Game, Seigaku! 4-3!"

"They're so reckless that I can't even read them," muttered Jackal.

"Then we'll just have to stop them here," said Marui. "Have we ever lost a service game in an official tournament?"

**

* * *

**"Come!" growled Kaidoh as he ran up to the net and Marui grinned before hitting another drop volley which hit the metal pole and landing onto Seigaku's court, much to Kaidoh's shock.

"15-0!"

"Ultimate move: Metal Pole Hit," said Marui.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Seems like Kaidoh has a plan or two up his sleeve," remarked Rika, noticing Kaidoh moving so far up the court.

Jackal had dealt a psychological shock to Kaidoh earlier by returning his Boomerang with his _own_ Boomerang and causing Momoshiro to run about until Kaidoh had regained his sense. The game is starting all over again.

"Another Boomerang?" grunted Jackal before Kaidoh growled and hit a short shot which curved like a snake and entered their courts.

"15-0!"

"S-Short Snake?" muttered Jackal, blinking.

Marui frowned. _'Seems like I have to use 'it',' _he thought, looking towards Rika. _'With this Short Snake, they've effectively sealed away my volleys. I can't believe that they've pushed me this far.'_

Rika smiled as she got up and Kirihara blinked as he noticed her moving away from the bleachers. "Rika? Where are you going?"

"Reserve my seat for me," said Rika. "I'll be back in a moment. I'm just going to buy some cake."

"Huh?"

"Bunta is going to need it after he wins."

**

* * *

**It was 5-5 when Rika came back with Marui's present of a strawberry short cake from the nearby confectionary and all four players were panting heavily. Rika frowned as she took back her seat, receiving a nod from Sanada.

'_It should be about time.'_

Marui was breathing heavily by now before he tightened his grip on the tennis ball. It was their match game and his stamina won't last long now, even with all his sugar consumption. He threw the ball up in the air and served before the ball entered Seigaku's court with blinding speed before moving about in circular motions and shooting upwards.

"15-0!"

"What serve is that?!"

"We've seen it during Marui and Rika's match with Fudomine," said Ann, glancing at her friend over at Rikkaidai's bleachers. "That's her trademark serve, Whirlpool Serve which no one had been able to return yet. Even the speed of Hyotei's Ohtori-kun's Scud Serve wasn't as fast as hers."

Marui breathed heavily. That one Whirlpool Serve is all that he could do with his remaining stamina. Now all that he have to do is wait for a chance ball to use his new move since his volleys have been effectively sealed away.

"30-0!"

"30-15!"

"40-15!"

Marui grinned as Momoshiro hit another Jack Knife. This time, he didn't try to avoid it but ran up to it to receive it before he received it with his racquet and added another spin to it before returning the ball. Those with sharp eyes could swear that they've seen the ball spin like a tornado before entering Seigaku's court so quickly that neither Kaidoh nor Momoshiro had enough time to react.

"Game and match! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Marui-Jackal pair! 7-5!"

Marui fell on one knee to the courts, panting heavily as Jackal fell on his butt, breathing a sigh of relief that the doubles two match is finally over. Marui sighed as he moved his arm about. _'I really have to find another way to use that shot,' _he thought before turning his gaze skywards. _'The sky is so blue.'_


	17. Golden Pair versus Invincible Pair

**Chapter Seventeen: Golden Pair versus Invincible Pair**

The cheers of the cheerleaders from Rikkaidai's side were deafening. Marui and Jackal were currently seated on the bleachers, panting heavily. Jackal had a towel over his head as Yagyuu pressed a bottle of water in his hand. The defense specialist's hand was still shaking from the match. Marui on the other hand, his right arm was throbbing slightly, only visible to those with observant traits like Yanagi, Rika and Niou. The first and the last wondered what was wrong with their usually happy-go-lucky volley specialist, but Rika knew that it's a side effect of that finishing move that the redhead had used to win their game. Marui had only just completed that move that morning and to use it immediately without testing all areas of the move was simply too reckless. But as it is, it is also proof that Seigaku is good enough to push both Marui and Jackal to their limits.

"Here," said Rika, giving Marui the cake box that she had bought earlier during his match. "A present for your win."

Marui grinned. "Thank you," he said before opening the box only to see his favourite strawberry short cake inside and beamed. "Strawberry short cake! My favourite! Thank you, Rika!" And he immediately munched on the cake to restore his stamina.

Niou laughed. "As always, just bribe him with sweets and he'll do anything," said the Trickster with a grin. "Well, I'm off now. It's my match. Yagyuu, let's go."

"Okay."

**

* * *

**"In the end, Rikkaidai took doubles two," remarked Shishido and the rest of Hyotei nodded. "I guess it wouldn't be surprising. We had a practice match with them once, and we knew better than anyone how powerful they are."

"If Seigaku lose doubles one, it will be two consecutive losses for them," said Oshitari, adjusting his glasses.

"Well, logically speaking, Seigaku stands no chance as it is in defeating Rikkaidai," said Atobe reasonably.

"Atobe, are you sure that you're not saying that just because that's your cousin's school?" asked Gakuto snidely.

"Atobe has a point as well," said Shishido. "Rikkaidai have been champions for three years straight. When we had that practice match with them, the most that we could do is to get at most, two games from them before they completely thrashed us."

"But still, we _did _help Seigaku during their training camp at Karuizawa," said Atobe. "If they lose just like this, I shall never forgive them."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Rikkaidai and Seigaku's doubles pairs were preparing to enter the courts. Oishi was adjusting the grip tape of his racquet whilst Kikumaru was tying his shoelaces tightly. Yagyuu and Niou were listening to some last minute advice from their captain, the former was listening politely and the latter had his racquet on his shoulder, nodding every now and then.

"Yagyuu and Niou," muttered Oishi, looking over at the Rikkaidai doubles one pair. "Rikkaidai's invincible pair.

"It doesn't matter who we're playing," said Kikumaru cheerfully, getting up from the ground after tying his shoelaces. "We can't lose."

**

* * *

**"_We will now start the second match of the Kantou Regional finals. Seishun Gakuen's Oishi-Kikumaru pair versus Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Yagyuu-Niou pair in doubles one."_

The doubles pairs from both Rikkaidai and Seigaku were now standing at the nets, exchanging the usual formal greeting before a match. No expression was visible on Yagyuu's face, but anyone who knew the Gentleman knew that wheels were currently turning inside his head. Niou had his usual cheeky grin, but everyone knew that that will change soon enough once the match begin.

All Rikkaidai regulars seemed to have that split personality side of theirs, save for Sanada, Yukimura and Yanagi. They may be goofing around outside the courts, but once a match starts and they're inside the courts, they're all business, no matter who it is.

Kirihara was Rikkaidai's baby and he sometimes acted like a kid at times which only Rika or Yukimura are able to stop him from throwing tantrums. But once a match begins, he is all business and will turn into your worst nightmare. Rika may be cheerful and fun to be with outside the courts, which Ann, Riku and Sora could testify to, but once she's inside the courts, she is all business and soon showed everyone why she's called Rikkaidai's Ice Princess. Marui and Niou as well...they are the typical tricksters of Rikkaidai, always goofing around and occasionally teasing or pulling pranks on the two youngest of Rikkaidai's tennis team, but once on the courts, they're all business. And let's not mention Sanada, Yukimura, Yagyuu and Yanagi.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Over at the bleachers where Fudomine were, the four Fudomine guys and one girl were all looking grimly at the courts where the Golden Pair as well as Rikkaidai's Invincible Pair were standing at, exchanging the formal greeting.

"Rikkaidai was so strong that Momoshiro-kun and Kaidoh-kun couldn't even win," said Ann grimly. "But the Golden Pair...they might..."

**

* * *

**"Rikkaidai's Yagyuu and Niou pair hasn't lost a match ever since they teamed up," remarked St. Rudolph's captain, Akazawa Yoshiro, his arms crossed over his chest.

More schools had arrived ever since the doubles two match had ended, among them was the entire tennis team of St. Rudolph's, with Mizuki Hajime in their midst. Jyousei Shounan had turned up as well, all dressed in casual clothes with Hanamura Aoi, all interested to see how Seigaku would fare against the school that had beaten them.

**

* * *

**"I wonder how far Seigaku's doubles can go against Rikkaidai," remarked Shishido.

"I will be watching them carefully," said Atobe with a smirk.

**

* * *

**Fuji Syusuke frowned as he studied the doubles pair about to face Oishi and Kikumaru on the courts and turned to face Inui. "Inui, do you have any data on that pair?"

"Well, about that...they were pretty good at hiding it," said Inui sheepishly. "But it is true that they're undefeated so far in ranking tournaments.

**

* * *

**"_Rikkaidai Fuzoku versus Seishun Gakuen in doubles one. Seigaku's Oishi to serve!"_

Marui frowned from Rikkaidai's bleachers as he studied Seigaku's Golden Pair. "Australian Formation right off the bat, huh?" he mused.

"It's pretty interesting, isn't it?" said Yanagi. "Let's see how the National level Golden Pair fares against our own best doubles pair. This will be a doubles match worth remembering and the match of the century. Most of the schools have gathered here to watch the match by now."

Oishi threw up the ball and Rika who was watching Seigaku's Golden Pair twitched slightly as she noticed the one called Kikumaru moved his racquet slightly to the left and frowned, making a mental note to watch him closely.

Oishi's serve had entered the courts, making that one point to Seigaku.

"15-0!"

Rika frowned and straightened herself up, watching Kikumaru intently, not noticing the weird looks that the rest of her team had shot her as Oishi served the second ball and Kikumaru's racquet twitched to the left again. Niou returned the ball and Kikumaru returned his shot which entered Rikkaidai's court, earning them another point.

"30-0!"

"What's wrong, Rika?" asked Kirihara in confusion.

"Nothing," muttered Rika, narrowing her eyes slightly at Kikumaru. "Nothing at all."

Oishi was serving for the third time and Rika watched Kikumaru carefully as his racquet moved to his right side and Niou frowned before returning it to Kikumaru's right side of the court and the acrobatic player moved to his right side before returning the shot.

"40-0!"

Rika smirked slightly. "I see..." she muttered. "That Kikumaru guy..." She turned towards Niou's direction to see the Trickster grinning like Christmas had came early and tapped his racquet on his shoulder before catching Rika's eye and nodding. Rika smiled. "Niou-sempai had noticed it as well."

"Noticed what?" asked Yanagi.

"Watch and you'll know," said Rika.

Yagyuu and Niou were now conversing in low tones before Niou turned towards Kikumaru, a shit grin on his face and Yagyuu nodded slightly. The two Rikkaidai players then moved to the baseline of the court, standing on either side, much to the shock of all players from all the different schools.

"This is where it starts," remarked Sanada.

Oishi was serving again and both Niou and Rika kept a close eye on Kikumaru before noticing his racquet going to the left and Niou grinned, knowing that Rika had noticed the same thing that he did as well, seeing how both himself and Rika had the same perceptive ability.

'_He's going to the left,' _thought Niou before returning the ball to the left and Niou smirked inwardly. _'No doubt about it now. And it looks like Rika had noticed it as well.' _He thought, turning to look at Rika who was frowning slightly as she studied the one called Kikumaru.

'_Didn't Seigaku notice it?' _thought Rika. _'They're his teammates, after all. If Niou-sempai and myself can see it barely five minutes into the game, they should be able to notice it as well.'_

"40-15!"

Niou had taken the first point for Rikkaidai via a well-placed smash when Kikumaru was off balance. Seigaku was stunned.

"I thought Eiji's volley would drop it," muttered Kawamura.

"The guy with the glasses came all the way to the front to return it," said Kaidoh, frowning.

Oishi was serving again and Rika watched closely as Kikumaru's racquet twitched to the right and she frowned. "He's going to the right," she said.

"Huh?"

All Rikkaidai players watched as Kikumaru indeed went to the right after Yagyuu returned Oishi's serve and Riku blinked. "How did you know, Rika?" he asked.

"Watch and you'll know," said Rika.

Niou was now attacking Kikumaru without mercy which ended in the acrobatic player hitting the ball into the net, causing a fault, and giving one point to Rikkaidai, making the point count 40-30 with Seigaku in the lead.

And as the game progresses, anyone with eyes could see that Niou and Yagyuu were both attacking Kikumaru without mercy, causing the usually happy-go-lucky acrobatic player to make mistakes that he otherwise wouldn't make, resulting in the ball being out or fault, giving the occasional point to Rikkaidai.

"Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku! 1-0!"

"It's strange," remarked Shiki from Seigaku's bleachers and all Seigaku players turned to look at the freshman, Ryoga included. The freshman was frowning and narrowing his eyes at Niou. "It doesn't matter where Eiji-sempai hits the ball, they somehow always managed to return it."

"Always?" echoed Ryoga before turning to look at Rikkaidai's bleachers only to see his sister with a thoughtful look on her face, studying Kikumaru intently and he frowned, his eyes narrowing together. _'Rika...did you notice something? It would be just like you.'_

"That's impossible!" exclaimed Horio.

"It's not impossible if you can read where the ball is going to go," countered Shiki. "In other words, if you can read the path of the ball and predict where it's about to go, you can return it every time."

**

* * *

**"But it's strange!" whined Kikumaru. "It seemed as if they were reading our formation!"

"I know that look that Rika had," said Ryoga, glancing over at his sister who had her hands curled together below her chin, her eyes having a calculative look. "She's seen something in either your formation or one of you. Not even _I _had that perceptive ability that she had. She's extremely observant. She's seen something." He turned towards the Golden Pair. "Why don't you change your formation if the Australian Formation doesn't work?"

Oishi nodded. "That seems to be the only way," he said before turning towards Kikumaru. "Eiji, let's change our formation."

Ryoga sighed and exchanged looks with Ryuzaki. _'I hope that changing the formation works,' _he thought.

**

* * *

**However, even with changing the formation, it doesn't seem to work as Niou continued attacking Kikumaru whilst Yagyuu covered all of Niou's blind spots. Ryoga frowned. _'What is going on?'_

"Inui, do you know anything?" asked Kawamura, turning to their data master. "It's strange! They are able to read Eiji's move even though it isn't a sign play!"

"I'm sorry. There are too many variables," answered Inui calmly.

"Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku! 2-0!"

**

* * *

**"It doesn't matter if it's sign play or not," said Rika and everyone turned to look at her, Sanada and Yanagi included. The girl had a calculative glance in her eyes. "If you know where to look, you'll know where Kikumaru is going to return the ball every single time."

"What do you mean, Rika?" asked Yanagi.

"Yanagi-sempai, you hadn't noticed yet?" asked Rika, blinking.

"Not everyone had your ability," said Yanagi with a sigh.

**

* * *

**"Hey, you," said Niou with a grin, looking at Kikumaru. "We will always know where you're going to hit it." At the Golden Pair's dumbfounded expressions, he grinned. "Habit is such a troublesome thing."

"Habit?"

**

* * *

**"I see..." said Yanagi, nodding at what Rika had said to them a while ago. "Habit, huh? Frightening ability of yours, Rika. Niou too. Observant traits."

"It's true that habits aren't that easily broken," remarked Sanada. "But knowing Seigaku, if they hadn't figured out just how Niou had been reading Kikumaru's play, we will win this easily."

"Let them figure it out on their own then," said Rika calmly. "Knowing my brother and that freshman of theirs, I'm giving them until half-time to figure out just how Niou-sempai is reading Kikumaru's net play."

**

* * *

**"Habit?" blinked Ryoga. "They've seen through Kikumaru's habits?" He looked towards Rika with a frown. _'Rika. Did you see through it as well?'_

"They figured out a habit that none of us who play with him every day knew?" Inui pondered.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kikumaru was losing his cool and concentration and everyone could see it, especially the acrobatic player's doubles partner as he was making mistakes that he otherwise wouldn't have made in his anger.

"0-15!"

"Don't sweat it," said Niou snidely, his racquet on his shoulder. "No one sees their own habits."

Yagyuu sighed. "You have an eye for those things, as well as Rika," he said.

"Let's just say that we have an eye for people," said Niou.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku! 3-0!"

Oishi sighed as he sat on the bench, trying to rack his brains. "Eiji, we're playing into their hands like this."

"Then what do you want me to do?!" Kikumaru nearly yelled before grabbing his racquet and walking away to practice some racquet swinging moves.

Oishi watched him closely. And so did Ryoga and Shiki who were both watching from the bleachers. And as Kikumaru twitched his racquet, Oishi's eyes snapped opened and so did Shiki.

"What's wrong, Shiki?"

"I've just figured out Kikumaru-sempai's habit," said Shiki grimly. "It's that." The Seigaku regulars turned towards Kikumaru. "Kikumaru-sempai has a habit of tilting the racquet into the direction opposite the way that he's going. It's really trivial, so he's probably doing it unconsciously."

"Rikkaidai figured out that small habit in the first game?" gaped Inui.

"Not only them," said Ryoga grimly. "I'm betting everything I have that Rika had noticed it too." He added as he glanced at his sister. "It's so miniscule, but they caught it immediately. What impressive ability!"

**

* * *

**"Looks like they've finally realised it," said Sanada, glancing towards Seigaku's direction. "But it's too late. You can't change your habits that easily."

"Besides," said Rika, jerking her chin towards Kikumaru's direction where the acrobatic player was getting frustrated, especially with Niou and Yagyuu focusing all their attacks on him. "He's losing his cool." She sighed. "It's over. Once you lose your cool in a tennis match, it's over."

**

* * *

**"Eiji, calm down!" yelled Oishi as Kikumaru fired a straight shot past Niou and towards Yagyuu's direction.

Niou smirked. _'Go, Yagyuu,' _he thought.

**

* * *

**Marui grinned. "It's coming," he said as he noticed Yagyuu's stance, the Gentleman was holding his racquet like one would hold a golf club. "Yagyuu's trademark move."

**

* * *

**"What is that stance?" asked Oshitari.

**

* * *

**Yagyuu received the ball with his racquet before returning it by swinging his racquet like one would a golf club, and the shot entered Seigaku's court so quickly that Kikumaru and Oishi had no time to react.

"30-0!"

Niou whistled. "That Golf Swing was good," he said, impressed.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku! 4-0!"

Rika sighed from the bleachers as she noticed the Golden Pair arguing. "Looks like it's definitely over, Sanada-fukubuchou," she remarked and Sanada nodded. "They're losing their cool."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

And as the game progresses, for the first time in history ever since the Golden Pair had teamed up, this was the first time that they've ever seen Kikumaru and Oishi so divided. They were both making plenty of mistakes that they otherwise wouldn't have made if they had been working together as a team.

However, after Kikumaru recalled all their times together as a doubles pair, it was then that he regained his usual self and started playing seriously as a pair again. It was also at this point in time that Niou could not read their moves easily any longer. Rika still could, but just barely.

The girl sighed. "So this is the Golden Pair, huh?" she mused. "Not bad, I guess, even though I hate to admit it."

Everyone nodded.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

When Seigaku got four games, Jackal frowned. "Yagyuu is getting serious now," he remarked. "Seigaku is in trouble now."

And so, for the first time, Rikkaidai is seeing the Invincible Pair play recklessly when they're usually the most cool headed doubles pair in all of Rikkaidai. Yagyuu was covering Niou now when usually, it's the other way round, especially since Niou was exhausted.

"Game and match! Rikkaidai Fuzoku! 6-4!"


	18. Match of the Century! Freshmen Battle!

**Chapter Eighteen: Match of the Century! Showdown of the Freshmen!**

"Yeah, we won both doubles matches," said Rika whilst on the phone with Kevin. There was some intermission before the singles three match begun and the authorities were cleaning up the courts. Rika had excused herself for some time to get a drink and Kevin had called just as she was at the vending machine. "You're coming to Japan soon, right?"

Kevin's light laughter could be heard over the phone. _"Yeah. Tom, Terri and Billy all missed you. They couldn't wait to come to Japan, even though we may be opponents in the Goodwill Games. I hope that you'll be one of those chosen, Rika."_

"We'll see about that," said Rika. "I still don't know if the Board would send us as the representatives. I have no idea how Japan chose their representatives."

Kevin laughed. _"I see," _he said. _"I have to go, Rika. I still have school tomorrow."_

"Okay," she said before hanging up.

Rika then walked past the vending machine where she had bought a can of Ponta earlier before she blinked and turned to see Seigaku's freshman standing at the vending machine, a can of grape Ponta in his hand, staring at her.

"Shinderui Shiki," she muttered.

Shiki frowned. "Echizen Rika."

"Seems like my prediction is coming true," said Rika. "The next match will be singles three. We will take the championship then."

"Really? I don't know about that," said Shiki. "My sempais are tough."

"Believing in your teammates? I see. That's a believable approach to take," said Rika. "Even if it's virtually impossible."

"We won't know that until we play," said Shiki, frowning at Rika. "Seigaku will defeat Rikkaidai and take the championship. The winner will be Seigaku and I'll be your opponent in singles one."

"I wonder."

"Huh?"

"Even if you _did _manage to face me in singles one, I'll still win," said Rika, narrowing her eyes. "I won't lose. I _can't _lose." _'Because I promised Yuki that I wouldn't lose.'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Just before singles three begun, Marui and Yagyuu explained to the younger players that the players for singles three – Yanagi and Inui were former best friends and childhood friends. The two went to the same tennis school in elementary school and were the best doubles pair for the elementary tennis circuit. In other words, the best doubles pair from years ago was now facing each other in a singles match.

It was a close match for singles three as it was a data showdown. As the game progresses, it was shown that Yanagi was the better of the two for data tennis, and in a reckless move, Inui, the known data master of Seigaku had no choice but to abandon his data and played recklessly, so much so that Yanagi could no longer read him. And when the game score reached at 5-4 with Rikkaidai in the lead, Yanagi then recalled that this was the exact score of an unofficial match of theirs from three years ago before Yanagi moved away and switched schools. This was a huge psychological shock for the data master of Rikkaidai and thus, Inui won the game with a close score of 7-6 with a tiebreak of 31-29, making one win to Seigaku.

For singles two, Kirihara was checking his racquet when Rika placed a hand on his shoulder, studying him intently. "Sempai, remember your promise," she said.

"I know," said Kirihara, annoyed. "But I won't lose here."

"We'll see about that," said Rika. "If you lose here, keep your promise."

Singles two is a match with an extremely tense atmosphere. Apparently, Yumiko, Yuuta and Fuji's elder sister arrived just before the match who also turned out to be Ryoga's girlfriend from college, much to his embarrassment as the entire court tittered away with amusement.

Fuji took the first game easily with his Disappearing Serve until Kirihara entered his Bloodshot mood and injured Fuji, and then Tachibana when the Fudomine's captain arrived at the scene. Needless to say, Fuji got mad and went all out and totally thrashed Kirihara, scaring the sophomore shitless at the same time, with Fuji winning the game at 7-5.

Kirihara was as meek as a kitten when Marui carried him back to the bleachers. Rika sighed, looking at Kirihara. "Remember your promise," she said. "You promised me to change your style of tennis if you ever lost to a non-Rikkaidai player in an official match."

Kirihara nodded. "I know."

There was some intermission before the singles one match and the atmosphere is worse than the singles two match as the two freshmen entered a glaring contest from their benches as they checked their racquet strings. Shiki's elder brother as well as Nanako, Rika's cousin had arrived just before singles one could commence and the atmosphere of the match worsened.

"Two wins and two losses," muttered Fuji. "This match decides the champion of the Kantou tournament. I'm counting on you, Shiki."

"What's Shiki's opponent like, Inui?" asked Kawamura, turning to their data master.

"Well, I only got a little of her data as she managed to keep it under wraps, but we mustn't underestimate her," said Inui, flipping through his notebook. "As far as I know, she hasn't lost a single match in an official tournament before. She's the freshman ace that overcomes all seniors to be the only female freshman regular in Rikkaidai."

**

* * *

**"Well, this is the much anticipated match," remarked Oshitari. "None of us have ever seen Rikkaidai's freshman regular played before, so this will be an eye opener."

"Against that Shinderui, I wonder how much of her skills will be shown at this tournament," mused Atobe. "Show me what you've got, Rika-chan."

**

* * *

**"I guess, this is the match of the century," remarked Marui as he watched Rika tying her shoelaces tightly on the bench, being seated next to Yukimura, her hair tied up in a high ponytail. "None of our matches so far can match up to this. A freshmen showdown."

**

* * *

**"_We will now start the final match of the Kantou Regional finals. Seishun Gakuen's Shinderui Shiki versus Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Echizen Rika in singles one."_

The two freshmen were now standing at the net, exchanging the usual formal greeting before a match. Shiki's silver hair was tied up in a short ponytail as the two grasped the hands of each other in a brief handshake. The cheers from the cheerleaders from their individual schools were nearly deafening by now as this was the final match to decide the victor.

**

* * *

**"_Always win, Rikkaidai!"_

"_Let's go! Let's go! Rikkaidai!"_

"_Go! Go! Seigaku!"_

"This is the final match now," said Ann grimly. "A freshmen showdown. Whoever wins this match is the better of the two."

"Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Ice Princess, their freshman ace, Echizen Rika versus Seishun Gakuen's freshman prodigy, Shinderui Shiki," muttered her brother. "This is the much anticipated match of the century."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Which?" asked Shiki.

"Smooth."

The racquet spun before landing on the rough side. Seigaku had first service.

"Service."

"End."

And both freshmen walked away from the net to take their positions on the court.

"_One set match! Seigaku's Shinderui to serve!"_

Shiki gripped the tennis ball in his right with his racquet in his left as he looked at Rika. _'The favour from before...' _he thought before throwing the ball up in the air and serving. _'I shall return it today!'_

The ball landed in Rika's court before spinning on the ground and Rika smirked. _'Twist Serve, huh? Not good enough!' _And she returned the serve to Shiki's side of the court.

"No way!" gasped Osakada Tomoka. "Shiki-sama's Twist Serve is so easily returned!"

"Of course!" said Ryoga irritably, his arms crossed over his chest, his fingers tapping his arm in a steady rhythm. The poor guy was torn in two; not knowing which player to support. "She isn't Rikkaidai's regular for nothing! If truth be told, I'm not even sure if Shiki can win this."

"The two of them have been going all out from the beginning," muttered Sanada.

'_My serve had been returned?' _thought Shiki as he slid on the ground. _'Then how about this?'_

"There it is! Drive B!"

Rika smirked. _'Not good enough!'_

She leapt into the air and returned the ball via a well-placed smash on the baseline, winning the first game for her match.

"Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku! 1-0! Change courts!"

"Shiki's special moves have all been returned," muttered Momoshiro with shock. "This is impossible!"

"Why?" whined Tomoka. "Shiki-sama!"

**

* * *

**Shishido whistled. "She's better than I thought," he said in wonder.

"Yeah," agreed Atobe. "But this is only just the beginning. Rika's only just getting serious."

**

* * *

**"_Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Echizen to serve!"_

Rika bounced the ball on the court, her racquet in her right hand and Marui frowned. "Seems like she's going to gauge her opponent's ability," he remarked. "I guess this will be the only time when we'll ever see her getting serious."

Rika threw the ball up in the air and served such a fast serve that it was already in Shiki's court before anyone realised it and spun with such ferocity that everyone was taken aback.

"Twist Serve?!" gasped Kaidoh.

"It's better than Shiki's!" muttered Fuji, eyes wide opened in shock.

Shiki gritted his teeth before returning the ball just as it bounced upwards towards his face and Rika grinned as she used her split step before switching her racquet to her left hand as she received the ball with a Rising and gained one point to Rikkaidai.

"15-0!"

"One footed split step?!" gasped Inoue.

"I knew it," muttered Fuji, both his eyes wide opened at the match currently going on before him. "That female freshman regular isn't any ordinary player."

"None of my data describes her knowing the Twist Serve and the split step!" muttered Inui, flipping through his notebook.

"Of course not," said Jackal with a snort from Rikkaidai's bleachers and all Seigaku players turned towards Rikkaidai.

Yanagi had a smile on his face as he turned towards Seigaku. "Do you really think that the data of our freshman is so easily taken?" he asked.

"Huh?"

Yanagi opened his eyes. "What if all those data that you've taken from her past matches are fake, Sadaharu?" he asked and Inui's eyes widened.

"What do you mean?"

"The data of our freshman player..." said Yanagi, turning back towards the match. "Not even myself, Yanagi Renji, can take it accurately. In that sense, she's just like Yukimura and Sanada as she rises above my data every single time."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku! 2-0!"

"Damn! I knew that girl is good, but I never dreamt that she's _this _good!" muttered Kamio in disbelief.

"Why?! Shiki-sama!"

Shiki's eye could be seen twitching ever so slightly as they changed courts, trying to block out his number one fangirl's unnecessary screaming. Rika coughed to stifle her laughter.

"Fangirls..." Rika muttered, "are a pain."

"You've said it," agreed Shiki, bouncing the ball on the court as he got ready to serve. "I have a whole club of them in school."

"You have my condolences," muttered Rika before getting into position. "But I'm ending this."

Shiki frowned before serving the ball and Rika returned the ball, accidentally lobbing it and Shiki leapt into the air before smashing the ball with such ferocity that he's attained one point past Rika before the girl knew what's going on.

"15-0!"

"What is that smash?" muttered Yagyuu.

"The time during the training camp..." muttered Inui. "The serve that he'd used against Atobe and when he completed it with Oishi."

"He's completed it already?" said Oishi with a smile.

"Let's name it Whirlwind Smash," suggested Kikumaru with a wink. "It does look like one. A whirlwind, I mean."

"Whirlwind..."

"...Smash?"

Fuji laughed. "Nice name," he said.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Game! Seishun Gakuen! 2-2!"

"Yatta!" Tomoka cheered loudly. "There's no way that girl can beat Shiki-sama!"

Sora's eye twitched madly and before anyone could stop him, he was stomping up to Tomoka with Riku close on his heels in case he needed to stop his friend. "First off, little girl," snarled Sora, nearly into Tomoka's face. "Unlike my cousin, I have no problems with hitting girls. Second, don't celebrate too soon. Rika isn't serious yet. And three, worry about yourself after the match if you insult Rika more."

And with that, he stomped back to his seat in Rikkaidai's bleachers, leaving a stunned and shocked Tomoka. Even Rika who is currently seated on the bench, taking a quick drink, had paused and looked towards Seigaku's bleachers before shaking her head.

"Stop holding back, Rika," said Yukimura calmly as the freshman girl stood up. "You're still holding back on him. Stop doing that."

"Hai," said Rika before pulling up one of the black wristbands around her right wrist and undoing the wrist weights around her wrist before dropping it onto the ground where it landed with a loud thud. She did the same with her other wrist and ankles before twisting her wrist around, feeling a lot lighter and walked to the courts.

Kirihara grinned. "Seems like our Ice Princess is getting serious at last," he said.

It was Rika's turn to serve and all Rikkaidai regulars frowned as they recognised their freshman's standing posture. Marui turned towards Yanagi. "Yanagi, how many times can she use that serve?"

Yanagi frowned. "At most, three games before it take a toll on her stamina," he said. "The Whirlpool Serve takes up a lot of stamina with each use. But it's highly unlikely for her opponent to return it as even Sanada and Yukimura hadn't been able to return that serve yet."

Rika threw the ball in the air before serving and the next instant, the ball had entered Shiki's court before moving about in circular motions faster than before and shooting upwards into the air.

"15-0!"

"That is...!" gasped Momoshiro. "Isn't that...?"

"Whirlpool Serve," said Fuji grimly. "I heard from Ann that it's originally her technique. Marui Bunta only knew it because he's her doubles partner."

"No one has been able to return it yet," said Tachibana Kippei grimly. "Not even Yukimura and Sanada. The speed of the ball as well as the rotation motions of the serve is too unpredictable. Seems like she's improved on it though. So that's the serve of the original creator."

"30-0!"

"40-0!"

"Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku! 3-2! Change courts!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"There it is! Whirlwind Smash!" cheered the freshmen trio from Seigaku.

Rika smirked as she leapt into the air as well as the ball went high up into the air before receiving it with her racquet and returned the smash via another smash which spun furiously into the ground, causing a dent before hitting the wire fence behind Shiki, rendering the ball stuck.

"W-What the hell is that?!"

Yagyuu sighed and smiled. "There it is at last," he said. "Rika's trademark smash: Cyclone Smash."

"Deuce!"

Sanada looked at the stopwatch in his hand. "Twenty minutes and thirty seconds," he muttered. "That's the longest match of all our matches thus far."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Game! Seishun Gakuen! 4-4!"

Both freshmen are now panting heavily, sweat adorning their brow and everyone could see that they're both getting tired. And it is of no surprise. Both freshmen have been using their special moves one after another and it is sure to take a toll on their stamina.

"This is not good," muttered Niou. "If Rika don't end this match soon, she's going to burn out. Same goes for that freshman. There's only so much that they can take."

Rika panted as she got in position to receive the ball. Shiki was serving and even he was starting to look exhausted as he breathed heavily. _'This is not good. I have to end this game quickly.'_

Rika then remembered what her best friend in America had taught her when she first became the captain of St. Andrews' tennis team. _'Ne, do you know, Rika? __Every person has a habit…even in tennis matches. And if you can find that habit, you can turn the tide in your favor. Relying on your eyes isn't always good. Sometimes, you have to rely on your other senses.'_

And then she remembered what her fukubuchou had taught her. _'Sound. I'll hit a ball and you'll tell me where it will land. This will strengthen your senses and listening ability. So far, myself, Yanagi and Yukimura are the only ones who can do that. But you…with your Perception ability, you should be able to do it better than us three.'_

'_What a time to go down memory lane,' _thought Rika. _'But it's worth a shot. Let's try it out, shall we? The ultimate defense move that Yuki and I have developed as a doubles pair back in America.'_

As Shiki served the ball to her, Rika lobbed the ball back to him and waited for his Whirlwind Smash and she wasn't disappointed as he leapt into the air.

"There it is! Whirlwind Smash!"

"If you kept using it over and over again, you think that I couldn't find a way to return your smash?" asked Rika as she stood in a strange posture – the head of her racquet slanted slightly with her right foot slightly behind her left.

"Unfortunately, it's not that easy to get a shot past our freshman," said Niou with a grin. "There's a reason why she's called our Ice Princess."

"Ultimate defense move," said Rika as the ball came closer to her. "Koori no Sekai (Ice World)"

The moment that she had finished that sentence, the ball was back in Shiki's court, much to his shock as he hadn't seen her move or anything.

"Is…something wrong with my eyes?" asked Kaidoh at last. "I didn't see her return that shot."

"No. It's not your eyes," said Momoshiro, his eyes wide. "Me too."

Marui whistled, impressed. "I've only heard about it from Kevin, but I never dreamt that I'll get to see it here," he said. "Ice World – the ultimate defense move of California's best doubles pair. The move that no one had been able to penetrate before."

"Ice World?" asked Yanagi.

Marui nodded. "Aa," he said. "But she can only use it once per match as the burden on her body is too large in a singles match. If with a doubles partner, she can use it as many times as necessary. But if alone, she can only use it once."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"15-30! Seigaku leads!"

Rika panted heavily. _'I never thought that he'll push me this far,' _she thought as she received Shiki's shot and said shot was promptly returned before she rushed to the net and hit a drop volley, or at least, that's why Shiki thought until the ball rolled along the net and dropped into Shiki's court.

"Deuce!"

"Isn't that…Marui Bunta's Tightrope Walking?" asked Momoshiro, blinking. "How can she know it?!"

Marui smirked and Niou grinned. "I was wondering when she's going to use it," said Marui. "But it seems like she's being pushed to her limits as well."

Shiki was breathing heavily as well. The match had already gone on for nearly half-an-hour and neither side was letting up. Shiki growled. _'I'm not giving up!' _he thought as he served again only for Rika to return it with a drop volley again. _'Tightrope Walking again?!'_

The ball hit the metal pole before landing in Shiki's court. "Metal Pole Hit."

"40-30!"

Yagyuu frowned as he noticed Rika's current state and turned to some random tennis club member. "Get as many bags of ice as possible, as well as several bottles of water immediately," he ordered before the tennis club member nodded and scurried off.

"Yagyuu?"

"She's already burned out," said Yagyuu grimly. "Right now, it's her own willpower that is forcing her to move about." He sighed. "What recklessness!"

Right now, the match had turned out into a rally before Rika growled. _'I have no choice,' _she thought. _'I can't let this drag on for much longer!'_

And she got into a stance with the racquet head of her racquet turned downwards and her left foot behind her right, the muscles in her left hand tightening and Marui's eyes widened in shock. "That stance is…!" he muttered before rushing to the edge of the bleachers and yelled, "Rika! Stop! You can't use that! You'll destroy your arm!"

"I don't care!" yelled Rika as she returned the ball, adding an extra spin to it before the ball was returned to Shiki's court by spinning like a tornado so quickly that the freshman had no time to react.

"Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku! 5-4!"

Marui paled as he watched Rika fell to her knees, clutching the elbow of her left arm. "Marui!" snapped Sanada, turning to the volley specialist. "What do you mean by that? Isn't that the move that you used to attain the final score of your match?"

"That's the Tornado Spin," said Marui grimly. "I asked Rika to teach me that this morning for the match. Rika developed the Tornado Spin two years ago. I was in America then and I saw her use it during her match. That move is too dangerous! The one that I've used is an uncompleted version of her Tornado Spin. Only someone with natural flexibility like Rika can use it to it's full potential. But in her case, she has yet to find out a way to use it without damaging her body."

The Rikkaidai players paled, and if anyone had been looking at Yukimura, they would have mistaken the Rikkaidai captain for a ghost.

**

* * *

**"It's the match game," said Yagyuu, looking at the stopwatch in Sanada's hand. "Forty minutes and twenty seven seconds. Come on, Rika! End this!"

The cheers of Rikkaidai were louder than before as it's the match game for Rika and it had turned out into a rally as neither side was letting up. _'I can't lose here! I cannot afford to lose!'_

In her desperation, a strange aura had surrounded Rika and all Rikkaidai players blinked as she used the Laser Beam, attaining one point.

"That is..." muttered Yanagi, his eyes opened. "Isn't that Muga no Kyouchi?"

"She's activated it?!" muttered Sanada.

Yagyuu smiled. "Interesting..." he said. "Seems like we have to step up her training once we get back to school."

"That is Kaidoh's Boomerang!"

"And Fuji-sempai's Swallow Return!"

"30-0!"

Shiki panted heavily. _'Echizen Rika...to think that you're this strong...!'_

"Oishi-sempai's Moon Volley!"

"40-0!"

Rika fell to her knees just then.

"Rika!" shouted Yukimura, standing up from the bench. Ryoga had to fight everything that he had to prevent himself from running over to his baby sister.

'_Damn! I am not giving up!'_

"This...is the last point!" Rika shouted as she used her Tornado Spin whilst on her knees – a remarkable feat.

The ball hit the net before landing on the cord of the net and slowly dropped into Shiki's side of the court, rolling away slowly. There was silence as the two freshmen players blinked slowly and the stadium was silent.

"_Game and match! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Echizen! 6-4!"_

The cheers that followed were so deafening that anyone would think that an explosion had just sounded. "We won!" Kirihara cheered, leaping onto Marui. "We won! We won! We won!"

"Get off me, Akaya!" yelled Marui, trying to pry the excitable sophomore off him.

Rika and Shiki both breathed heavily on their positions on the ground before forcing themselves to get up and walking to the net before grasping each other's hands in a brief handshake, both panting heavily and their legs shaking.

"Nice game," said Shiki via pants and Rika nodded.

"You too," said Rika with a tired smile. "I would like to play you once more. This match could have gone to you just as easily."

And the two freshmen smiled as they raised their arms in the air and cheers sounded from both sides – Seigaku and Rikkaidai. Even the other schools who have came to watch the match were cheering and clapping as well.

"This is so great!" exclaimed Katsuo, clapping. "Shiki-kun lost, but this is such an awesome match!"

Everyone nodded, agreeing, before the two freshmen released their holds on each other's hands and Rika stumbled back to her team, breathing heavily and sat down on her seat in Rikkaidai's bleachers, trembling slightly, a towel over her head as Marui pressed a bottle of water in her hand and Yagyuu was on her other side, wrapping a towel bound with ice around her left arm which was throbbing slightly – side effects from the use of the Tornado Spin.

The entire Rikkaidai team was smiling at their freshman and Yukimura sighed and nodded. He had panicked for a second back there and was on the verge of forfeiting the match. "I'm sealing away your Tornado Spin until we can find a way to use it without causing harm to yourself," he said seriously. "Understand?"

"Hai."

Rika turned her eyes skywards as a gentle breeze blew through. "The sky is so beautiful."

"_With game count of 3-2, I hereby declare the champions of the Kantou Regional tournament as Kanagawa's Rikkaidai Fuzoku!"_


	19. Junior Senbatsu Camp! Members Assemble!

**Chapter Nineteen: Junior Senbatsu Camp! Members Assemble!**

It was the day for the Junior Senbatsu Camp and Rikkaidai's regulars were all invited, along with all of Seigaku's regulars as the two schools that made it to the finals of the Kantou tournament will have all their regulars invited.

Right now, the Rikkaidai's tennis regulars were standing in front of the dormitory which will be their home for the next two weeks as all tennis players invited to this camp compete for one of the places on the Japan Invitational team to compete against America's team.

"It's huge..." said Marui with a whistle, looking at the building as more cars and buses drew up and their rivals from the other schools arrived.

"From Jyousei Shounan, Kajimoto, Wakato and Shinjou," mused Yanagi as he saw Jyousei.

"From Fudomine are Kamio and Ibu."

"St. Rudolph and Rokkaku have three people that they've sent over," said Kirihara.

"As expected, Yamabuki sent Sengoku Kiyosumi over," stated Sanada.

"Hyotei have five people here, including their captain," said Jackal.

Soon, they lined up before the door in their individual schools as the authorities in charge of the camp arrived. The coaches in charge of training the members for the camp were the coaches from Seigaku, Jyousei Shounan, Hyotei as well as Rika's own brother. After a short discussion about the camp as well as the do's and don'ts, the players headed into the camp to see which group that they were allotted to.

"Let's see..." said Marui as he studied the list in front of him only to see that he was assigned to Ryoga's group, along with Rika, Kirihara, Kamio, Ohtori, Shishido, Sanada, Yukimura as well as Inui and Yanagi.

Under Ryuzaki's group were Shiki, Momoshiro, Oishi, Kikumaru, Sengoku, Kajimoto, Saeki, Fuji as well as Yuuta. Under Sakaki were Kaidoh, Kawamura, Niou, Yagyuu, Jackal, Mizuki, Amane as well as Shinji. And under Hanamura were Wakato, Shinjou, Kisarazu Ryou and Atsushi, Kabaji, Atobe as well as Oshitari.

**

* * *

**After being allotted their own dorm rooms which was two to one, and much to Rika's surprise, she was put with Marui which she got a feeling that her brother was behind this set up so that he can be sure that Yukimura and herself don't get up to anything funny.

And in meetings with their individual head coaches later...

"Alright people," said Ryoga. "Out of these thirty four members assembled at this camp, only seven will be selected for the Invitational team, with one as a substitute. My rules are extremely simple, we will train until we could train no more so that you'll get in shape for the team and another rule of mine is not to hit on my sister unless you wish to die early." His death glare spoke wonders and everyone gulped.

Rika sighed. "Get on with it, niisan," she said.

Ryoga coughed and cleared his throat. "Right, everyone assemble on the tennis courts now. We'll have matches for the first day and those that are not playing are allowed to have free practice for the first day."

"Matches right off the bat?" blinked Marui.

"Just like Ryoga-san to say something like this," muttered Inui.

"I got a question," said Kirihara, raising a hand as if he was in class. "When you say free practice, are we allowed to have our own matches?"

"I have no problems with it," said Ryoga and Kirihara grinned.

"Heard that, Kamio?"

Kamio twitched and glared at Kirihara, and if looks could kill, Kirihara will be dead a hundred times over. _'Why am I in the same group as this guy?!'_

**

* * *

**_Tennis courts:_

"This is the fastest way to assess your strength," said Ryoga as they were all gathered at the tennis courts half-an-hour later. "Marui, Rika. Inui, Yanagi." The four mentioned looked up from their tennis bags. "You will play a doubles match now."

A short while later, the four were in the courts and a few members from Ryuzaki's group had arrived by then as the group was having free practice for the first day and decided to watch their match.

"One set match!" called the umpire. "Marui to serve!"

As Marui served the ball, the match then begun. _'As expected from Yanagi,' _thought Marui as he returned one of Yanagi's shots. _'It's difficult to attain a point against him.'_

"0-15!"

"Nice, Renji!" said Inui.

Yanagi smiled. "It's been a while since we've played as doubles partners, but our bodies still have the knack for it, don't we?" he said.

"Right you are, Professor," said Inui and Yanagi raised an eyebrow.

"'Professor'?" he muttered before getting into position. "It's been a while since I've heard that name. Sure brings back memories." He then received Rika's ball and returned it to their court. "But if I'm 'Professor', then if I remember correctly, Sadaharu was...Doctor."

Inui lost his balance at that and failed to return Marui's shot, much to the onlookers' surprise. "Please don't call me by that name," said the data master. "I'll lose my concentration."

"Doctor, is it?" said Fuji who were one of those at the scene. "That suits Inui."

"But to think that Ryoga-san threw those two pairs against each other in a match," said Saeki.

"Marui-san and Rika are childhood friends," answered Yuuta, keeping his eyes on the match. "And so are Inui-san and Yanagi-san." He smiled. "I see..."

"Of course, Ryoga-san knew about this as well and put them together," said Shishido, impressed, though he doesn't show it.

"A drop volley?" mused Yanagi as he returned Marui's drop volley via a straight cross. "Sorry, Marui. I won't be taken in."

"Another drop volley?"

"Why didn't Inui or Yanagi lob those balls instead?" asked Saeki with wonder.

Yuuta smiled. "Because he knew that if he did that, he will immediately fall victim to Rika's Cyclone Smash. That smash hasn't been able to be returned yet."

**

* * *

**"So it's finally 5-4," mused Kamio. "With Inui and Yanagi in the lead. Will those two be okay?"

Yuuta smiled as he recognised the look in Rika's eyes as she conversed in a low tone with Marui who grinned and nodded. "The real game starts now," he said. "I know that look that Rika had. She's got a plan up her sleeve."

It was Yanagi's turn to serve and all players present blinked as both Marui and Rika stood at the baseline of the court. "A defense formation?" muttered the data master of Rikkaidai. "But if you just defend, you can't win!" And he served.

At the moment when Yanagi served, both Marui and Rika moved to the middle of the court – with the freshman girl at the net and Marui at the back before the ball entered their court and they each moved into the opposite direction before returning to the middle and repeating the same process all over again.

"Australian Formation?" gasped Kikumaru.

Yuuta blinked and blinked, along with every single player save for Sanada and Yukimura who knew exactly how hard Marui and Rika worked and practiced whenever they entered a match as a doubles pair.

"Is this for real?" muttered Yuuta. "Rika and Marui-san have a perfect combination? Their teamwork is impressive!"

"Drop volley?!" muttered Inui, running towards the net as Marui dashed up to the net. "Which one is it?"

Marui grinned. "Too bad," he said. "It's not a drop volley," he said before he moved away and Rika appeared behind him and the freshman girl smashed the ball near Inui's feet, gaining one point.

"Smash?" blinked Inui. "I got careless."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Cafeteria:_

"In the end, Marui-san and Rika-san won," said Momoshiro, placing his tray down on the table beside Shiki. "With 7-5. But really, those two—"

"It has nothing to do with you!"

Everyone present in the cafeteria turned towards the source of the voice only to see Kamio glaring at Kirihara. The latter was grinning as he looked at Kamio.

"Come on, it's okay, isn't it?" he said. "Tell me. How is Tachibana?"

Marui nearly groaned at this. The volley specialist was seated at the table with the rest of the Rikkaidai players in his group. "There he goes again," he said. "Agitating Kamio."

Rika frowned before turning towards Sanada. "Fukubuchou, should we stop him?"

Sanada sighed. "Let's see how things turn out."

CRASH!

Everyone nearly jumped about a foot in the air as a tray crashed to the floor and turned to see Kamio straddling Kirihara, as if wanting nothing more than strangling him. "Hey, hey! Stop that!" said Marui as he rushed to separate the two, along with everyone in the group and Rika placed a hand on Kirihara's arm, shooting him a warning look.

"Akaya, stop this at once!" said Sanada sternly.

Marui and Rika exchanged looks.

**

* * *

**"But seriously, this has got to stop," said Marui that night as he was in Niou and Yagyuu's room. The Gentleman was currently rubbing his hair dry with a towel, having just gotten out of the shower and Niou was reading a manga on his bed. "It's not like I don't know what issues that Kamio had with Akaya, but we're at camp and this has got to stop!"

"You think we don't know that?" said Yagyuu with a sigh who was currently standing in front of the mirror, combing his hair. "But that Akaya...seriously...can't he go one day _without_ agitating people or making enemies everywhere that he goes? Thank goodness that Rika and Yukimura were both in the same group as him as they're the only two that can keep him in line!"

"And speaking of that," said Niou, looking up from his manga. "Where did they go? I ran into Sanada a while back. He was rooming in with Yukimura and he said something about Yukimura disappearing from their room when he was in the shower."

Marui shrugged. "Who knows?" he said. "He's probably somewhere with Rika, and I value my life too much to ask him about it."

He shivered, knowing that even though their usually gentle captain was kind and polite to everyone, he tend to have a sadistic sense of humour if necessary, kind of like Fuji Syusuke from Seigaku. He still hadn't forgotten how Yukimura had made _everyone _in the team run a hundred laps around Rikkaidai's tennis courts holding a full pail of water in each hand complete with ten kilograms of lead blocks on their legs the time when he caught them spying on himself and Rika on their first date at the Sakura Festival. Marui hadn't been able to walk properly for weeks after that.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Are you sure that we should be doing this here?"

"Why not? No one will come this way and it's still three hours before lights out."

Yukimura was currently straddling Rika against the wall in the dark hallway that they were in, sucking gently on her neck, his hands around the hem of her shirt. Ryoga had kept an unusually sharp eye on the Rikkaidai captain, not even letting him without twenty feet of his sister, and even if he did so much as spoke to her, the Rikkaidai captain will feel the eyes of the Devil boring holes into the back of his head.

There was a low cry of pain just then and Yukimura and Rika sprang apart, wondering what that cry was. As a rule, no one would come here as the hallway would be extremely dark after nightfall that those with overactive imaginations would be too afraid to walk down here alone.

"Kirihara-san?!"

That sounded like one of the members of the freshmen trio from Seigaku. Kachiro was his name, Rika recalled, hearing about him from Shiki, the freshman being one of the three boys, along with the two freshmen girls – Ryuzaki Sakuno, the granddaughter of the Seigaku tennis club's coach, along with Shiki's number one fangirl and self-appointed president of the Shinderui Shiki fanclub in Seigaku, Osakada Tomoka.

The five freshmen were currently with the camp to help out as assistants in carrying tennis balls or serving the food to the tennis players during meals. Tachibana Ann from Fudomine as well as Satochi Riku and Shinderui Sora from Rikkaidai are here as well to help out, though Rika hasn't gotten a chance to talk to the latter three yet as training has been keeping her busy.

Yukimura and Rika exchanged looks before nodding and heading towards the direction where they've heard the voice, Rika snapping on the light of a flashlight that she had with her, lighting the corridor up properly.

Kirihara was lying at the foot of the staircase, groaning in pain and the freshmen trio were huddled around him.

"Akaya!"

"Yukimura-san! Rika-san!"

**

* * *

**_Team Ryoga's lounge:_

"Kamio pushed him down the stairs?" Marui blinked incredulously at Horio Satochi who had delivered the news to their group. The freshmen trio from Seigaku were currently in the room, along with Riku and Sora. Sora was currently tending to the bruises on Kirihara's face who was currently seated on the couch, with Riku holding the first aid kit.

"Ouch!" Kirihara yelped. "That's enough already!"

"No," said Sora firmly. "You need to get those treated."

"Are you really _sure _that it's Kamio-san first?" asked Rika, turning to Horio. "It's true that he has quite a temper and is fighting with Kirihara-sempai earlier during dinner, but it isn't like him to do such a thing."

"It's true, but no matter what the circumstances are, violence is never good," said Ohtori thoughtfully, his hands curled under his chin. The Hyotei sophomore was currently seated on the couch with his doubles partner, Shishido Ryou next to him. "Because we are sportsmen."

Shishido sighed. "I thought that he was a little better than that," he said.

Kirihara twitched as he waited for Sora to apply a band aid onto his face before standing up, readying a fist in annoyance. "Would you stop that already?!" he snapped. "I told you I just slipped on the stairs, didn't I?"

Rika frowned as she studied Kirihara. She knew her sempai and training partner better than anyone and knew that he's hiding something. And because she knew him, she also knew that even if someone _did_ pushed him down the stairs, if he didn't want to reveal who that someone is, nothing short of torture will make him talk.

"And you, that Seigaku freshman." Kirihara frowned, glaring at Horio who twitched nervously. "Stop blabbing about something that you know nothing about! I wasn't fighting with anyone!"

Horio stared at Kirihara. "B-But I was sure that I saw the shadow of someone running away," he mumbled.

Kirihara scowled. "You're imagining things," he said and Marui sighed and scratched the back of his head.

"This is just like a mystery, isn't it?" he said, popping a bubblegum. "Akaya says that he was by himself and Horio says that he saw Kamio." _Pop._

"Then you think we should drop this matter?" asked Inui, straightening his glasses.

"No," said Shishido on the couch, wearing a frown on his face. "I think we should settle this matter as soon as possible. We're going to be living together for two weeks and I want to know what kind of people that I will be around."

"And how?" asked Rika with a tired sigh and everyone turned to the sole girl in their group. "Kirihara-sempai says that he's by himself and that no one pushed him down the stairs – he slipped and fell by himself. Horio says that Kamio-san pushed him down. One of the two must be lying then. Either that, or Horio is seeing things."

"Er..."

The clanking from the vending machine caused everyone present in the lounge to turn and see Kamio standing at the vending machine still dressed in his tennis jersey given out for the camp, a towel around his neck. He seemed to have just finished training as beads of sweat are visible on his face.

Kamio was humming a low tune to himself as he turned around, a lemonade bottle in his hand as he saw everyone present in the room. "What are you doing, getting together in a place like this? Is there a meeting that I wasn't aware about?"

Everyone stared at him and the silence was unnerving Kamio and he blinked. "W-What?"

"Kamio-kun, where have you been?" asked Yukimura.

Kamio blinked in confusion. "Huh? Where have I been?" he echoed. "You can tell by looking at me, can't you? I was self-training!"

Sanada sighed. "So that means that you have no alibi," he stated and Kamio blinked in confusion.

"Alibi?" Kamio repeated. "What are you talking about?"

Rika and Sanada sighed as one and Shishido frowned at Kamio from his place on the couch. "It's too late to pretend that you didn't know anything about it," he said. "We even have a witness."

"Huh? Witness?" Kamio got even more confused.

**

* * *

**Kamio banged his hand down on the table in fury the moment Yanagi told him what had happened to Kirihara and what had just transpired. "This isn't a joke!" Kamio fumed. "It's not me!"

"Nevertheless, Horio says that he saw you clearly," said Riku, glancing at the mentioned freshman.

"I'm telling you, it has nothing to do with Kamio," said Kirihara with irritation. "I fell down by myself."

"I don't understand," said Ohtori, his hands clasped behind his head. "Why are you protecting Kamio like that?"

This set the fuse off. "Don't say such ridiculous things!" Kamio nearly yelled, pointing a finger with the hand holding his towel at Kirihara. "Why would I need to be protected by this kind of guy?!"

"Exactly," said Kirihara with irritation. "This has nothing to do with Kamio. I did it all myself...all of it. It's all my fault!"

Shishido sighed, getting up from the couch. "This just sounds like you're trying to protect someone," he said.

Kamio fumed, turning towards Shishido. "How in the world do you get a story out of that?!" He nearly yelled in Shishido's ear.

"More to the point," said Sora with a frown, turning towards Horio. "Did you really see Kamio-san's face?"

"Well, no...but that it was..." Horio frowned. "I'm not really sure anymore."

"This is ridiculous!" Kirihara groaned, getting up from the couch. "I'm not going to have anything to do with this." He left the room. "I'm going to bed. Practice starts for real tomorrow, right?"

"Well, he himself said it was alright, so I don't think there's any need for us to get upset about it," said Inui.

"I agree," said Ohtori. "Kirihara-kun went a long way to protect Kamio-kun. We should be quiet about it and watch them closely."

"Stop right there," said Kamio with a growl, readying his fist with his towel clutched in said fist. "I can't agree to that. If you're going to do that, then I'm going to catch the real criminal with my own hands!"

Marui blinked. "True criminal?" he echoed.

"This false accusation makes me furious. But having you think that I'm being protected by Kirihara makes me even angrier. With my own hands, I will expose the truth of this matter!" No one was listening at this point as they were all heading back to their own rooms. "H-Hey! Wait a moment!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The next day, meetings were scheduled for all four groups, with practice matches for them in their own individual tennis courts. Hanamura's group had their first tennis match, with Jyousei's Shinjou Reiji and Rokkaku's Kisarazu Atsushi as a doubles pair against Hyotei's Oshitari and Rokkaku's Kisarazu Ryou.

Ryoga's group had their own tennis matches as well. A doubles match which comprised of Sanada and Yukimura versus Inui and Yanagi. Kamio had ran off in the middle when Ryoga was called away for something regarding paperwork, wanting to search for clues to prove his innocence only to be stopped by Marui. That nearly caused an argument between the two until Ann and Sakuno turned up with a basket of tennis balls.

And it is the look on Ann's face when she looked at Kirihara's bruises and injuries that got Rika thinking. She knew her friend well and knew that she had no love lost for Kirihara, not that she can blame her, especially with what Kirihara had done to her brother. Yet, what is that half guilty, half relieved look that she saw on Ann's face?

That night, in team Ryoga's lounge, everyone was staring at Kamio who was seated on the couch, bearing an angry scowl on his face as he reported his findings on finding the culprit responsible for Kirihara's plight.

Yanagi sighed. "Just drop it, Kamio-kun," said the data master of Rikkaidai. "Doing this will only make the problem bigger than it already is."

"If I leave it like this, I won't be satisfied!" Kamio scowled. "From my investigation, I know that the other three groups had a meeting until late at night for everyone in those three groups. So the real criminal is in our group."

Marui sweat dropped. "He reminds me of Kindaichi Hajime in my manga," he whispered to Rika.

"You intend to keep searching for the criminal, no matter what, don't you?" said Sanada with a sigh.

"Tenacity is my forte!"

"You over there," said Marui, turning towards Seigaku's freshmen trio who were all huddled in a corner with Riku and Sora looking on with amusement. "Are you done drawing the picture of the criminal yet?"

Horio was seated at a table, trying to draw a picture of the criminal. And little did anyone know that Horio couldn't draw at all to save his life. Kachiro and Katsuo were looking at his drawing, looking on with both amusement and exasperation.

"Horio-kun, is that supposed to be a person?" asked Katsuo, looking at the drawing. "It kind of looks like an animal."

"Stop distracting me! You're right next to me! I'll get confused!"

And so, Horio presented a drawing which seemed to be a mixture between man and animal, in Rika's opinion. And if not, then it's a severely deformed human with a broom head and abnormally large eyes and pixie ears with an equally large nose and mouth.

"This is the criminal."

Silence...

"Why did it turn out like that?!"

The others looked on with amusement as Kamio confront a confused Inui especially since he's the only one in their group with black spiky hair. Rika sighed.

"If you have time to do something like this..."

**

* * *

**"No doubt about it, what Rika-san said is quite correct as well," said Shishido as the entire group made their way to the hallway where Kirihara had his 'fall'. "An inspection of the scene is a basic rule for criminal investigation."

And so begun a hunt for anything suspicious which Rika privately thought that if anyone had came by, they would have thought that they're playing Treasure Hunt or something similar. Just as she was about to inspect another area of the hallway, something glinting beneath the metal case in which the fire extinguisher was kept caught her eye and she got down on her hands and knees and picked up the glinting object only to have her eyes shooting opened as she recognised that object.

Rika frowned. _'So you're the one, are you?'_


	20. Transforming the Devil

**Chapter Twenty: Transforming the Devil**

_Cafeteria:_

Shinderui Shiki blinked as Momoshiro came to their table at the cafeteria which he was sitting at with Oishi and Kikumaru. It was breakfast time and the rest of the other groups at the camp were also in the cafeteria, having their breakfast. Momoshiro was grinning like the cat that had caught the canary as he carried his 'mountain' of rice to the table and sat opposite Shiki.

Shiki sighed. "Momo-sempai, you sure eat a lot," he stated.

"This is nothing," grinned the sophomore as he begun to tuck into his rice like he hadn't eaten for days.

Shiki sighed, pushing his half-eaten bowl of rice away from him. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm suddenly full," he muttered.

Two tables away, Shishido and Ohtori were seated at a table with all of the Rikkaidai regulars in their group, save for Kirihara. The Hyotei sophomore didn't look too happy as he tucked into his breakfast slowly, a fact which his doubles partner noticed immediately.

"What's wrong, Choutarou?" asked Shishido with concern. "You don't look happy."

"Nothing. I can't sleep well in a different bed," mumbled Choutarou.

A table away, Kamio was growling away by himself as well, glaring at his rice as if the poor bowl of rice was responsible for his anger. "Until I catch the real criminal with my own hands, I can't sleep well at night as well," he growled, nearly breaking his chopsticks in half.

"In the end, we didn't figure out anything yesterday as well, did we?" said Yanagi, breaking his chopsticks apart and digging into his breakfast. "Itadakimas!"

"Yeah," agreed Inui.

Rika didn't say anything but looked towards a table in the corner where Kirihara was seated by himself, facing the window, his back facing the rest of the occupants in the cafeteria. Marui who was tucking into his breakfast noticed Rika's strange behaviour and turned towards her. "Is there something wrong, Rika?" he asked.

Rika shut her eyes and turned away from Kirihara. "Nothing," she said.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Team Ryoga had free time after breakfast until ten in the morning when they will be holding practice matches against each other and Kirihara Akaya of Rikkaidai could be found hitting balls against the wall in a corner.

The sophomore had been acting strangely for some time now, and Rika and Niou who were the observant ones of the Rikkaidai group had noticed it immediately, though both didn't say anything about it. And Yukimura and Sanada were starting to notice it as well.

Kirihara panted as he stopped his lobbing for a few moments, staring at the wall which he had been lobbing balls against. His heart was not in it as it could clearly be seen as the balls were hitting different spots all over the wall when his control over the ball was extremely good – nearly as good as Rika, Yukimura, Sanada and Yanagi.

'_It's your fault that my brother's in the hospital!'_

'_Kirihara! Try saying that once more!'_

'_Tennis must not be used as a tool to breed hatred.'_

'_Akaya, have you seen your limit?'_

'_I'm not going to apologise for what I did nor am I going to sympathise with you.'_

Then, he was playing against Rika in a _non-official_match after the freshman had made it as a regular in Rikkaidai's tennis club. He had panicked then as he nearly injured Rika seriously when he had entered his Bloodshot mood, and yet, the freshman still managed to beat him, even though it's a close one at 7-5.

"_You're not going to say anything about this?"_

"_No. This is your style of tennis and I do not have the right to say anything about it. But, sempai. Are you really happy with your current style of tennis?"_

"_W-What do you mean?"_

"_Just what are you playing tennis for? What is __**your **__tennis?"_

"_My...tennis?"_

"_Promise me something. If someone outside Rikkaidai ever beats you in an official match, I want you to create a new style of tennis. I'll help you with that if you like. Tennis...should never be used as a tool to hurt others."_

"_...does this have to do with the reason why you came to Japan?"_

"_Maybe. This is how I taught my old tennis team in America. Just what are they playing tennis for? What exactly is their tennis? If they can find the answer to that, then they will have the right to stand on the court and call themselves a tennis player worth mentioning. What about you, sempai? What is __**your **__tennis?"_

A tennis ball rolled away slowly and bumped into his foot as Kirihara stared at the wall with frightened eyes, remembering all his past opponents from the Kanagawa districts up to the Kantou tournament until he faced Fuji Syusuke, and for the first time, realised what all his past opponents felt when he injured them.

Kirihara looked at his shaking hand with wide eyes, remembering what Rika had asked him all those months ago when she agreed to a rematch with him after she's been with the club for about a month. In his desperation, Kirihara had entered his Bloodshot mood, despite himself making a vow _not_ to use his Bloodshot against a fellow Rikkaidai player after Yukimura-buchou, Sanada-fukubuchou and Yanagi-sempai have totally thrashed him in tennis when he was in his freshman year.

"_What is your tennis?"_

'_Just...what is my tennis?'_

"_What are you playing tennis for?"_

'_I...don't know anymore. Help me find the answer...Rika.'_

**

* * *

**Ann slid opened the door of the meeting room of team Ryoga. The door had a notice on it which read 'Team Ryoga, meeting at four o'clock'. Ann entered the room and looked around. The room was completely empty with just a whiteboard and a long desk with chairs for the members of team Ryoga.

"What are you doing?" asked a voice and Ann turned around to see Rika leaning against the doorframe, her hands stuffed in her pockets, dressed in her tennis jersey.

"Rika?"

"If it's Kirihara-sempai that you're looking for, he went outside with his racquet a little while ago," said Rika, straightening herself up and looking at Ann in the eye. The Fudomine girl fidgeted about and Rika studied her carefully. "It doesn't seem like he was injured badly."

"W-What are you talking about? Why are you telling this to me?"

Rika studied Ann for a few moments and sighed. "Ann, there's no use hiding this from me," she said before pulling something out from her pocket. "I found this on the stairs yesterday." Ann's eyes widened in shock when she saw one of her hairclips in Rika's hand. "It's yours, isn't it?"

"I..."

Rika looked at Ann. "It was you, after all," she said. "I had my suspicions about it in the beginning when Kirihara-sempai refused to reveal who it was that pushed him down the stairs. I know my sempai. He might be goofy and an idiot at times and maybe a real demon on the courts at times, but he would _never_ ever let an innocent party take the blame for something that someone else did. I knew that he's protecting someone, and my first thought was that it might be you."

"What are you talking about?"

"Even though he doesn't show it, Kirihara-sempai is really sorry about what he did to your brother," said Rika sharply. "His match with Fuji Syusuke during the Kantou finals had opened his eyes and seen for himself his own limit if he continued playing his current style of tennis. If there is anyone that he will protect, it's either the captain of Fudomine whom he injured so badly during the semi-finals of the Kantou tournament or the sister of Tachibana Kippei!" Rika sighed. "I don't have the right to tell you what to do, Ann, and I don't know what happened between you and Kirihara-sempai, but shouldn't you explain the situation to everyone?"

Ann looked away stubbornly. "He fell on his own! It has nothing to do with me!"

"But because of that, Kamio-san is in pretty big trouble," said Rika, studying Ann intently and the Fudomine girl turned towards her with surprised eyes. "Everyone suspects Kamio-san of pushing Kirihara-sempai down the stairs and says that he's guilty. Kamio-san insists that it's a false charge and that he will catch the real criminal himself to prove his innocence in this whole affair."

Ann was looking at Rika as if seeing her for the first time with a shocked expression on her face. "I...didn't know," she whimpered. "I...have to go." She barely made it out of the door before she stopped dead in her tracks, as just outside in the hallway were Inui, Yanagi, Marui, Sanada, Yukimura and Kamio, and it's obvious by the looks on their faces that they have heard every word. "Kamio-kun..."

The betrayed look on Kamio's face hurt Ann more than it did when her brother was first hospitalised just after the semi-finals of the Kantou tournament. Rika stepped out of the doorway of the room, unnoticed by everyone as they were all staring at Ann and Kamio, and the Rikkaidai freshman caught Sanada's eye before the fukubuchou nodded and Rika nodded back before leaving the hallway silently.

"Why, Ann-chan?" Kamio asked, hurt in his voice. "No matter how mad you are about Tachibana-san, pushing someone down the stairs is..."

"That's not it, Kamio-kun!" Ann tried to explain, but Kamio took it the wrong way.

"What exactly happened between you and Kirihara, Ann-chan?!"

Ann looked as if she wanted to burst into tears at Kamio's outburst. In fact, she started crying and Kamio immediately looked as if he wanted to kick himself for yelling at Ann and rushed to comfort her. "Ann-chan!"

"So this means that the person Akaya was protecting was not Kamio, but Tachibana's little sister?" Yanagi voiced out.

"But why would he protect her?"

**

* * *

**Rika knew where Kirihara might be if he wasn't in the gym or in his dorm room which he shared with Kajimoto Takahisa of Jyousei Shounan. Her instincts were proven right as usual, and she soon found her sempai lobbing balls against a wall in a corner, not too far away from the tennis courts allotted to team Ryoga.

Kirihara turned around as he heard Rika coming up to him and frowned before picking up a tennis ball. "What is it, Rika? Do you have some business with me?" he asked.

"Something like that," she said, and Kirihara turned towards the freshman. "Sanada-fukubuchou asked me to play a match against you. Have a match with me."

Kirihara stared at Rika before sighing. "Well, it's better than hitting balls against the wall," he said. "But you might be sent to the hospital if you do so, though."

"The court over there is free," said Rika, leading the way to said court.

**

* * *

**"Hey, you guys!"

The four Rikkaidai boys, one Seigaku guy, and the one Fudomine guy and girl looked up as Shishido and Ohtori rushed down the hallway. Shishido had a grim look on his face.

"Kirihara and Rika-san are having a match."

**

* * *

**Kirihara leapt up into the air to smash Rika's shot before the freshman returned his shot via a drop volley disguised as a smash and Kirihara rushed to return it, ending up in the shot being out, falling flat on his face. He hated to admit it, but the girl had grown stronger than she is during the Kantou finals.

Sora and Riku were currently watching the match, along with the Seigaku freshmen trio when the rest of team Ryoga arrived at the scene, being led by the two Hyotei boys.

"How's the match?" asked Inui.

"Rika-san is currently in the lead," reported Katsuo.

"That Kirihara..." muttered Kamio. "Did he really change?"

"That's what Rika is going to find out," said Sanada, not taking his eyes off the match. "I don't know what happened between the two of them before, but after the Kantou finals, Akaya had been working on changing his play style. Apparently, he had made a promise to Rika before the Kantou tournament even begun, and if it's one thing about Akaya that I know, it's that he _always_ keeps his promises, no matter how much he hates keeping it."

And so, as the match progresses, the two Fudomine players have their hearts almost in their mouths as Rika deliberately lobbed a ball which ended on the baseline and Kirihara fell flat on his face when he rushed to receive it, and everyone who knew Kirihara knew that it's one sure way to activate his Bloodshot.

In fact, for a split second, Kamio did assumed that Kirihara didn't manage to change his play style after all, but the Rikkaidai sophomore proven him wrong once more when he managed to keep his 'other side' in and did not injure Rika when he could have.

Sanada, Yukimura and Yanagi exchanged pleased expressions and Marui nodded to himself, a smile on his face. Like always, their Ice Princess did what no one had been able to do in the past: changing Kirihara's play style.

"Alright," said Yanagi, turning towards the other members of the group. "Shall we get started with our training as well? We can't have the kouhai showing us up, can we?"

Yukimura chuckled. "That's true."

And then, one by one, the members of team Ryoga left the tennis courts, with Kamio staying a second longer, watching the match between Kirihara and Rika with a smile on his face before leaving for the gym, making a mental note to ask Kirihara for a match after the camp.

Ten minutes later...

Kirihara panted, lying on the court, the balls scattered all over the court. Rika was seated on the other side of the net, panting heavily as well. "Are you satisfied?" asked Kirihara amidst pants and Rika sighed and nodded.

"Yeah," she said. "But it's only just getting started. But can you help me, sempai?"

"Huh?" Kirihara looked at Rika. "Help you in what?"

Rika smiled. "You can play with your left hand, can't you?"

Kirihara blinked and nodded. "Yeah," he said. "Why?"

Rika smiled. "Help me perfect a new technique," she said. "I want to get it ready by the time that I face Kevin."

Kirihara smiled. "You're already hoping to be placed on the Invitational team, don't you?" he asked and Rika nodded. "Seven regular spots and one substitute spot...it's going to be a tough battle. Though you have a different reason for wanting to be on that team."

"Aa," said Rika with a nod. "I've just heard. The representative school is going to be my old school from America and my old tennis club. If I manage to play, the match that I'm playing against one of them will be my present to them."

Kirihara sighed. "It sounds just like you," he said. "Alright. I'll help you out. What kind of technique is that this time around? I swear, you create so many new moves that even I'm hard pressed to remember them all!"

Rika grinned. "A new move to deal with left handers," she said.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

And so, with the case of Kirihara being pushed down the stairs closed, and Ann apologising to Kirihara, things have gotten back to normal for the tennis players at the training camp, and team Ryoga have gotten into a regular training routine.

However, things aren't looking so good for team Ryuzaki. Rika heard from Yuuta two days after her match with Kirihara when she met him at the cafeteria during dinner that team Ryuzaki's head coach – Ryuzaki Sumire – had collapsed and was hospitalised, and so, team Ryuzaki was currently without a coach.

Ryoga, Sakaki and Hanamura have met to talk about this once and Hanamura had proposed the idea to having team Ryuzaki train with either her group or with Ryoga's only to have it turned down by Sakaki as the Hyotei coach is interested in finding out how the members of the group deal with the absence of their head coach.

Three days after Ryuzaki was hospitalised, team Ryuzaki decided to hold their own practice matches and Sengoku had taken first pick. Rika wasn't there at that time as her group was having their own training then, but Yuuta was present and he told Rika and Marui all about it.

Sengoku had chosen Momoshiro as his opponent, wanting to avenge his loss against Momoshiro during the Tokyo Prefecture tournament. Dan Taichi who was also present at the camp had watched the match as well. And from what Yuuta had told Rika and from what the Rikkaidai regulars have heard from Yanagi, the usually happy-go-lucky Sengoku had stopped going to club activities after his loss to Momoshiro, then to Fudomine's Kamio, and had taken up boxing instead for a month to completely change his style of tennis.

The result was that Sengoku had developed extremely firm muscles, much to the shock of his group, and had the ability to return fast and hard balls with little to no effort at all, and his swings could barely be seen, unless you have excellent observations skills like Rika and Niou and unless you have the ability to see fast moving objects like Seigaku's Kikumaru.

Dan had revealed that Sengoku had taken up boxing during his one month of absence from Yamabuki's tennis club and had totally changed his play style. In fact, during his match with Momoshiro, each game had a three minute limit – the same amount of time for each round in a boxing tournament.

The end of it was that Sengoku won, with a game count of 6-3, and all the tennis players in his group were extremely impressed with Sengoku's diligence and his new tennis play style, but unfortunately, his personality didn't change much as he immediately tried to pick up three girls whom had gotten lost, trying to find a tennis park, much to Momoshiro's exasperation and Shiki's amusement.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Morita Hospital:_

"I'm counting on you," said Ryuzaki, speaking into the phone before hanging up, having finished her conversation with whoever her replacement coach would be in team Ryuzaki. Her granddaughter was seated by her bedside.

"Obaa-san, who did you call?" asked Sakuno curiously.

"My replacement coach for the remainder of the camp," said Ryuzaki before looking out of the window and smiling. _'I wonder how the rest at camp will take it when he arrives as their replacement coach.' _She thought. _'Tezuka is going to have his work cut out for him.'_


	21. Choosing the Invitational Team

**Chapter Twenty One: Choosing the Invitational Team**

"_What?!"_

That cry from team Ryuzaki's group who were currently huddled by the running tracks echoed throughout the entire place. Rika, Kirihara and Marui who were currently passing by the place blinked and stopped in their tracks. They had just finished their muscle training in the gym and team Ryoga had been given a ten minute break before heading to their allotted tennis courts for some practice matches.

"That sounds like Oishi-kun," said Marui as the two kouhais were frowning, looking towards the direction of the running tracks. "Let's go and see what's wrong."

The three Rikkaidai players then stopped behind a wall where they got a fine view of team Ryuzaki who seemed to be in an argument of some sort. Apparently, the ones who weren't Seigaku regulars – Yuuta, Kajimoto, Saeki and Sengoku refused to do running and decided to have some matches instead since they were currently without a coach and will obviously fall behind the other groups.

Rika sighed, shaking her head as the poor Seigaku vice-captain tried to make sense of his argument and the other Seigaku players looked on. "This doesn't look too good for Oishi-san," she said. "Though Kajimoto-san had a fair argument as well."

Kirihara grinned. "This will be interesting, won't it?" he said.

**

* * *

**Later that afternoon, much to everyone's surprise, Tezuka had returned from Germany to fill in for team Ryuzaki's temporary coach, as what Hanamura, Sakaki and Ryoga had announced to the rest of the four groups, but this was met with some objections from the non-Seigaku members from team Ryuzaki and the long and short of it was that Tezuka had decided to clear their doubts by having them playing against him in a practice match.

Most of the members from the other three groups were given a break by their individual head coaches since the coaches knew that their players were all interested in seeing Tezuka play and that afternoon, majority of the camp's players were gathered by team Ryuzaki's tennis courts.

"Oh boy, this is going to be interesting," said Marui, grinning, as everyone heard Tezuka said to Kajimoto that he will keep it to light swings because of his injury which of course pissed the Jyousei's captain off.

Rika frowned as the rally between Tezuka and Kajimoto continued for ten minutes. "Something's wrong," she remarked. "Tezuka-san hasn't moved a single step away from his spot so far." She frowned, recalling what she's seen from Tezuka and Atobe's match during the Kantou tournament. "That's Tezuka Zone, isn't it?"

Inui smiled and adjusted his glasses. "Very perceptive, Rika-san," he said. "That's right. That's Tezuka Zone. Tezuka add a spin to the ball and hit it to Kajimoto-kun in a way in which the ball will be returned to him, no matter where Kajimoto-kun hits it."

"Looks like Saeki is up next," said Yagyuu.

And so, they watched as the non-Seigaku players in team Ryuzaki played against Tezuka and when Tezuka managed to predict that Sengoku had broken through the Tezuka Zone, he returned Sengoku's shot with such precision that everyone was shocked.

Yukimura smiled, one finger on his lips. "Very interesting, Tezuka," he said. "Seems like he'll make a good coach."

Momoshiro chuckled weakly from beside Kirihara. "Yeah. We're lucky that Inui-sempai isn't in our group," he said.

Yuuta blinked at Momoshiro. "Why?"

"Inui Juice."

Kirihara blinked. "It's just juice," he said. "What's so scary about it?"

"Yeah. That juice is bad enough to knock you out instantly," said Shiki, giving a slight shiver before turning towards Rika. "Didn't Yanagi-san do the same to you guys? I thought that Inui-sempai had his juice recipes from Yanagi-san."

"No," said Rika, shaking her head. "While Inui-san can make anything tastes bad, Yanagi-sempai can make anything taste wonderful."

"Why couldn't he have gone to Seigaku instead?" whined Momoshiro.

Inui smiled eerily, appearing all of a sudden behind Momoshiro, freaking the sophomore out. "Did you say something, Momoshiro?" he asked, a glass of his much feared Inui Juice appearing in his hand.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was team Ryoga's break time and Kirihara and Rika could be seen standing in an available court with their tennis racquets. Kirihara grinned. "Sorry about this, Rika," he said. "But I want to repay the favour that you've given me."

Rika sighed. "I don't mind," she said with a shrug. "This can give me a chance to perfect my technique as well."

Kirihara grinned. "Then I'll let you have first service," he said, tossing Rika a tennis ball before both players walked to the receiving ends of their individual courts. "One set match."

Rika nodded before gripping the tennis ball in her left hand, her right hand holding her racquet. She then threw the ball in the air and served.

**

* * *

**"Game, Kirihara! 1-1!"

By this time, majority of the rest of the groups had gathered by the tennis court in which Kirihara and Rika were having their match, thanks to a certain Seigaku freshmen trio. The two Rikkaidai players were breathing heavily by now, yet both had kept their service games. Somehow, this had turned into an official match for them and a referee had somehow appeared out of nowhere to referee their match. Even Sakaki, Hanamura, Tezuka as well as Ryoga had arrived. Riku and Sora had appeared as well.

Niou whistled. "Seems like everyone's interested in their match," he said.

"Well, both their matches were the talk of the middle school tennis circuit ever since the finals of the Kantou tournament," remarked Yanagi, keeping his eyes on the match. "Though I heard Akaya saying something about repaying the favour to Rika or something."

"Have those two played against each other before?" asked Shiki, curious.

Sanada nodded. "Yeah," he said. "They're training partners and played against each other more times than one could count. Yanagi, how many matches have they had so far?"

Yanagi flipped through his notebook, not noticing that everyone gathered had listened intently to their conversation. "They had a total of sixty two matches, with a score of 31-31 for each of them," said the data master. "But they had never really gone all out in their matches before. But this time...this match may just be different."

**

* * *

**"Game, Echizen! 3-3!"

"Neither one of them are letting up their service games!" said Momoshiro with wonder.

"No. That Rika," said Shiki, narrowing his eyes slightly. "She's grown stronger from the last time that she faced me. They're really going all out."

Kirihara was serving and as his serve landed in Rika's court, she returned that shot to the sophomore and moved towards the left just as Kirihara returned the shot and returned Kirihara's shot so quickly that it landed in his court before anyone could blink.

"1-15-0!"

"Did Rika just returned his shot?" asked Yuuta, blinking in confusion. "I didn't see it."

Niou grinned. "It's been a while since I've seen her use her observation ability in a match," said the Trickster.

Kirihara panted as he rushed to receive his shot and hit it towards the corner and his eyes widened to see the ball travelling towards Rika. _'That is...! It can't be!'_

"O-Oi, what is going on?" asked Oshitari, frowning. "Since the sixth game, all of Kirihara's shots had been travelling towards Rika-san and she hasn't moved a single step so far."

"Tezuka Zone?"

"No. The unofficial name for it is Samurai Zone," said Ryoga, frowning. "Our father taught it to us and used it on me and Rika every time we played, yet we had never been able to master it completely yet. The one that Tezuka-kun used is also an uncompleted version of it. But Rika had never used it before for reasons unknown."

**

* * *

**"Game, Echizen! 6-5!"

"It's finally match game," said Yukimura. "So far, both of them had been keeping their service games. If Rika keeps her service game, she wins."

'_Mataku...' _Kirihara panted. _'Like always, she's the only one who can push me to my limits.'_

Rika threw the ball up in the air and served. The ball appeared in Kirihara's court before he knew what is going on before spinning in circular motions and shooting up in the air.

"15-0!"

"Rika's trademark serve!" said Sora with a smile. "Whirlpool Serve."

"The speed and power of that serve had improved," remarked Yanagi, scribbling into his notebook. "Every single time that we see that serve, she's added something new to it. Before, it's the wrist motion, now, it's the rotation spin."

"Well, the path of that serve is too unpredictable," said Sanada reasonably. "Unless we knew how Rika is going to hit that serve, it's virtually impossible to return that serve."

"30-0!"

"40-0!"

"It's finally match point for Rika-san," said Shiki, seeing Rika panting heavily gripping the tennis ball tightly in her hand.

Rika served the ball again, and much to everyone's surprise, it wasn't the Whirlpool Serve.

"It isn't the Whirlpool Serve?!" gaped Atobe.

"It's the Twist Serve!" said Yuuta, recognising Rika's serving posture.

Kirihara returned the Twist Serve just as it bounced towards his face only to see that Rika had predicted the path of his ball and had rushed towards the net only to add an additional spin to the ball and returned the ball in a posture that the Rikkaidai team had only seen once.

"Tornado Spin?!" Marui gaped, gripping the wire of the fence with both hands.

Rika smirked as she let the ball roll over the strings of her racquet before returning it, adding an additional spin to it and those with remarkable eyesight could see that the ball spun like a tornado as it travelled towards Kirihara's court extremely quickly and earned a point, therefore ending the match.

"Game and match! Won by Echizen! 7-5!"

"The Tornado Spin..." muttered Yanagi, his eyes opened. "It's been completed?"

Marui smiled. "As expected of her."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kirihara's hand was still shaking as they sat down to dinner that night, their match being the talk of the entire camp as everyone was staring at Kirihara and Rika both. "You know, I'm glad that I've helped you complete your Tornado Spin and all, but couldn't you have gone a little easier on me?" he asked, annoyed, as he had to try and feed himself by using his left hand since his right hand is shaking too much for him to use it properly.

Kirihara had declined Yukimura's offer to spoon feed him, much to the entire Rikkaidai team's amusement and the sophomore had to try and feed himself using only one hand. That night was also the last night at the camp and they would be returning to their individual schools the next day. Currently, the four head coaches were gathered in the office, deciding the members of the Invitational team and everyone were currently talking about it, wondering who will be selected.

"I wonder what the American team are like," wondered Sengoku. "Are they any good?"

"Well, even the coaches didn't know who the American team are," said Kamio. "The Americans will only be arriving in Japan in another week, aren't they?"

"No, I know who they are," said Rika and everyone turned to her at once. The girl ignored them as she ate her dinner slowly. "They're tennis club regulars from St. Andrew's in California."

Yuuta blinked. "Rika, you know them?"

Rika sighed. "They're my old tennis team before I came to Japan," she explained. "I was their captain before I left. But now, the captain should be my childhood friend. We led the school to high school tennis tournaments for three consecutive years, and last that I heard, when I left, half of the team quit the club and the Tennis Association in America sent a coach to coach the team. Half of the team are new members, whilst the other half are my old friends."

"Are they any good?"

"They're good enough to beat high schoolers, if that's what you're asking," said Rika before the four coaches entered the cafeteria and everyone quietened down.

Sakaki stepped forward. "Sorry for making you wait," he said. "We've decided on the members of the Invitational team. There will be seven players and one substitute, and according to the rules of the Tennis Association, the lines ups of the matches between Japan and America will not be announced until the match begun. We shall now announce the members that made it to the team."

Hanamura stepped forward, a piece of paper in her hands as she read from it and the cafeteria fell deadly silent. "From Hyotei Gakuen, Atobe Keigo and Oshitari Yuushi."

Atobe smirked and Oshitari didn't say anything, but adjusted his glasses. "Of course," said the Hyotei captain.

"From Seishun Gakuen, Kikumaru Eiji—"

"Nya?" Kikumaru blinked in surprise.

"—Fuji Syusuke." The tensai smiled. "From Yamabuki Chuu, Sengoku Kiyosumi."

"Rikkaidai's Yukimura-kun was originally chosen as one of the members, but he declined his position and asked us to give his position to someone else instead," said Hanamura and mutterings sounded from everyone as they looked at the smiling Rikkaidai's captain. "Then, from Rikkaidai Fuzoku, Sanada Genichirou—" The Rikkaidai fukubuchou smirked before looking into Atobe and Tezuka's direction. "—Kirihara Akaya—" Kirihara grinned. "—and finally, Echizen Rika." Hanamura folded the paper up and smiled at those mentioned. "Congratulations to all those who were chosen, and those who were not, please don't feel discouraged as it wasn't that you're not good enough."

"That's good, isn't it?" said Marui with a grin. "I expected Sanada to be on the team, but Yukimura, why did you decline your spot?"

"And let everyone else see our level during the match to prepare themselves in time for the Nationals?" said Yukimura with a brow raised. "I think not. Besides, we can take this chance to see the level of those chosen."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Rikkaidai Fuzoku; Kanagawa:_

Kevin Smith sipped on his soda with a bored expression on his face as he leaned against the walls of Rikkaidai Fuzoku, waiting for his best friend. Several students leaving the school looked at the blonde foreigner curiously before they moved on their way before a bus pulled up in front of the school and a group of students filed out.

"Finally back," said a redhead blowing a bubblegum with relief. "Nothing beats home."

Kevin brightened up as he caught sight of a lone girl in their group and waved to her, catching the group's attention. _"Oi, Rika!" _he shouted in English, rushing to the girl. _"I've been waiting for you!"_

"_Kevin?" _Rika blinked before sighing. _"Didn't I tell you to inform me when you will be coming to Japan? I can go and receive you at the airport."_

"_Nah. I wanted to surprise you," _said Kevin with a grin. _"The case is over. Once this game between Japan and America is over, I will be residing in Japan permanently with your family. Though keep this secret from the others. They didn't know."_

Rika sighed, inviting the curious looks from those of Rikkaidai who didn't understand what they were talking about – namely, Niou, Kirihara and Jackal. Marui had stayed in America for a time and understood English. _"Well, you sure did surprise me," _she muttered. _"And speak in Japanese. They can't understand you."_

"Ah, gomen, gomen," said Kevin sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm Kevin. Kevin Smith. I'm Rika's friend."

Yanagi frowned. "You're the captain of the American team facing us, aren't you?" he asked and Kevin nodded.

"If you don't mind, I have to kidnap Rika here for a while," he said with a grin before grabbing Rika by the wrist and running off.

"Chotto! Kevin! Wait a moment!"

**

* * *

**"Taku!" Rika frowned at Kevin, rubbing her wrist. "If I can't use my wrist properly in tennis, I'm blaming it on you, Kevin."

"Sorry," said Kevin apologetically, his hands clasped behind his head. "And anyway, the others want to meet you, that's why we came to Japan earlier than usual after asking the Board."

"Huh?"

Rika blinked as a group of pre-teens gathered on the street tennis courts of Kanagawa district caught sight of them and waved to them both, running towards Rika and Kevin. "RIKA!"

Rika blinked in surprise before smiling. "Terri! Tom! Billy! It's been a while!" she said, beaming, as her old tennis team surrounded her, asking her a million questions per minute before Billy Cassidy chuckled and waved his hands.

"Hey, come on! Give her some air!" he said. He then smiled at Rika. "It's been a while, Rika."

Rika nodded before turning to the sole girl in the group, Terri Griffy. "What's it like being the only girl in the team?"

Terri nearly groaned and the boys grinned mischievously behind her. "Don't even talk about it," she muttered. "I wonder how you kept them in line all the time, Rika." Her face then turned serious. "Kevin told us what happened. Are you alright?"

"Yeah," said Rika. "I'll be fine. Don't worry. What about you?"

"Don't worry your heads about it," said Billy with a grin. "Kevin's been training us silly. We heard that you're in the team playing against us. Hope to face you in a match."

Rika laughed. "We'll see," she said. "We don't even know who's playing in which match until the day of the match itself. There are seven players and one substitute. I don't even know if I'll be playing."

"Yeah, we heard," said Tom, Terri's brother with a grin that lit up his handsome face. "We'll give it our all in this match. We'll show you what we've learned. Even if you aren't our captain any longer, to us, you always will be our captain."

A tall thin boy with silver-gray hair tied in a ponytail along with a dark skinned boy large in size approached the group just then, along with another boy. "I nearly forgot," said Kevin. "They are our new tennis regulars, Rika. The tall one is Arnold Ignashov. The large one is Bobby Max. The last is Michael Lee."

"Nice to meet you," said Rika.

Bobby bowed his head slightly. "Nice to meet you too," he said politely and Michael bowed politely as well.

Arnold looked at Rika as if she was something that ought to be scrapped off the bottom of his shoe before scoffing. "So she's the captain that you're all always talking about," he said. "She doesn't look like much if she abandons her own team."

Kevin glared at Arnold. "Arnold! Stop sprouting rubbish!" he growled. "She _didn't_ abandon us!"

"Hmph. I'm going to go practice."

Terri sighed as Arnold walked away. "Sorry about him," she said. "I think he's just jealous or something since those that had been in the team with you stuck to your training instead of the one Boss gives us."

Rika blinked. "'Boss'?"

"Our coach," explained Billy. "Richard Baker. Kevin is quite insistent on using your training methods. And the Tennis Association agreed as well. Then again, we're the only ones using it. Bobby and Michael did too, but also followed Boss's training. Arnold is the only one whom follows Boss's instructions."

"I see..." muttered Rika, frowning slightly. She had a bad feeling about the upcoming tournament between Japan and America and the source of this problem had both a last and a first name and the names were Richard Baker.


	22. The Start of the Junior Senbatsu!

**Chapter Twenty Two: The Start of the Junior Senbatsu!**

_Press Conference:_

Shiba Saori blinked at all the chairs in the arena for the press conference for the Junior Senbatsu games between America and Japan. There was even _a stage, _for crying out loud! Is there going to be a concert or something? Or are they at the wrong place?

"What is this?" asked Shiba with a blink. "Are they going to give a concert or something?"

"No..." frowned Inoue, looking at the slip of paper currently in his hand. "This is the place, alright. This is the address that we were given."

Soon, the seats soon began to be filled up and Shiba and Inoue took their seats somewhere in the middle and Inoue watched with a frown as the lights of the arena dimmed and the lights were mostly focused on the stage. If he didn't know better, he'll think that there's going to be a concert of some sort going to be held.

He remembered the short conversation that he had with the freshman prodigy of Rikkaidai, Echizen Rika, as well as a short conversation that he had with an American reporter friend of his by the name of Jeff who is a reporter with one of the famous tennis magazines over in that country. It was an unofficial interview that he had with the Samurai's daughter and whatever that the girl said, Inoue could make out that she didn't like the American's coach for reasons that she wouldn't say and even Jeff mentioned that there were currently some rumours going around about Richard Baker, but didn't say what.

The press conference was soon beginning, and Inoue watched as a spotlight was fixated on the Americans' coach, Richard Baker, a man with silver-gray hair dressed in a business suit who looked more like a business man than a coach, with a microphone in his hand.

Baker gave a short bow before he spoke into his microphone. "People of Japan, I am highly honoured to meet you today," he said. "I am the coach of the American team, St. Andrew's, sent as America's representatives to play again Japan's selected players, Richard Baker. Now then, I regret to tell you this, ladies and gentlemen, but you have not yet seen what can be called true tennis. Ladies and gentlemen, have you ever experienced the fine art of a tennis match?"

**

* * *

**All over Japan, in each individual school selected to participate in the camp to select the members for the Invitational team not long ago, they were each huddled around a television in their clubroom, or in Rikkaidai's case, they were watching the mini-television that Yagyuu had brought with him to view this press conference. Marui and Kirihara were squatting down on the ground to watch the press conference whilst the others were watching on. In the hospital, Ryuzaki was watching this on the television with her granddaughter, Sakuno.

"Tennis is entertainment. When the best stage and the best actors are combined with the best directing, that is the beginning of a wondrous work of art on the court."

Rika's eye can't help twitching as she heard this speech from Richard Baker, if it can even be called that. She scowled inwardly and Yagyuu noticed it. _'What does that bastard think tennis is?!'_

"Exciting, fantastic, and thrilling. People of Japan, we will show you the world's most beautiful tennis!"

"Something is _definitely_ off with that coach," remarked Yagyuu and everyone agreed.

"Now then, without further ado, I shall introduce the outstanding actors from our American team."

The lights dimmed out just then before circling around and the screen behind Baker lit up with blue flames projected on the screen and a photo of Billy in one of his tennis matches showed up on the screen.

"America's Shotgun Boy..." A plume of smoke appeared by one of the backstage curtains just then, complete with music, as Billy appeared with a cowboy hat on his head, dressed in his tennis jersey, with his tennis racquet in his hand, showing off his brilliant white teeth as he walked to the middle of the stage. "Billy Cassidy!"

"The Flaming Red Dragon...Michael Lee!"

Plumes of smoke appeared again on the other side of the backstage curtains as Michael appeared. Cameras started flashing as both Michael and Billy – doubles partners in tennis – walked to the middle of the stage.

"The Beautiful Warriors..." The photos on the screen switched to that of the Griffy siblings, complete with orange flames in the background. "Tom Griffy and Terri Griffy!"

Cameras started flashing again as the siblings appeared within the plumes of smoke. This time, the photos on the screen switched to that of Arnold as Baker continued with his commentating.

"The Steel Scorpion, Arnold Ignashov!"

Arnold's face reminded plenty of people currently watching this press conference on television of Tezuka and Sanada as the guy looked as if he couldn't crack a smile to save his life.

"The Beast Bulldozer, Bobby Max!"

A plume of smoke appeared on one side of the backstage curtains, but the guy in question was nowhere to be seen, confusing the reporters present until a loud roar behind the reporters caused them to jump in fright to see the mentioned guy behind them.

"Is this really a tennis press conference?" asked Shiba weakly.

"And finally..." A short video footage of Kevin in one of his matches showed up. "The Valiant Hero, Kevin Smith!"

Kevin appeared, but anyone who knew him knew that he's definitely _not _pleased with this press conference, judging by the scowl on his face which appeared for a split second before he smoothed his expression and walked to the center of the stage when cameras started flashing again.

"We will now take your questions," said Richard Baker calmly.

A reporter in the front row stood up, a slip of paper in his hands. "Because the team was not selected from the entire country, is it's fighting power a cause for concern?"

"You will see our strength when you watch the matches. Naturally, I guarantee that we are stronger than last year's All-American Invitational team."

Kevin nearly snorted at this. He, along with Rika and Yuki had watched the matches of last year's Invitational matches between America and Japan and they're almost ashamed to live in the same country as those losers who call themselves tennis players. Even elementary school kids could play better than those guys who call themselves tennis players!

"I've heard that you won't release the player line-up until immediately before the match," said a female reporter with blue hair. "Is that correct?"

"This is a plan to make the audience as well as the players look forward with anticipation to each match," answered Baker. "Are there any other questions?"

"Yes," said Inoue, raising his hand to catch Baker's attention before standing up. "I'm Inoue from Monthly Pro Tennis. This is a question for Kevin Smith-kun." This got Baker and Kevin's attention immediately and the blonde-haired captain looked at Inoue. "There is a possibility that you'll be able to face Echizen Rika-kun, who, judging from past tennis records, seemed to be the former tennis team captain of St. Andrew's and your childhood friend, right? Please let us hear your thoughts on the matter."

Kevin twitched dangerously at this question. Why, out of all questions that he could ask, must he ask about Rika and Kevin's friendship?! "While it is true that Rika and I are childhood friends and we were co-captains during our time in St. Andrew's before she left, we both take tennis seriously and we won't hold back in a match if we ever faced each other."

Inoue looked at Kevin curiously at this, along with every other reporter. "While I'm sure that everyone here is glad to hear that, may I ask why Echizen Rika-kun left St. Andrew's in the first place? From what records state during Echizen-kun's reign as team captain in St. Andrew's, you and herself are co-captains and another girl by the name of Yakiwa Yuki was vice-captain. With the three of you leading the team, you led St. Andrew's to high school tennis tournaments in America where St. Andrew's became the champion for three consecutive years until last year when both Echizen-kun and Yakiwa-kun vanished from the tennis circuit and St. Andrew's lost for the first time in tennis history."

Kevin twitched and clenched his hands into fists in his pocket, unseen by everyone. Back at Rikkaidai, Rika twitched dangerously as well and clenched her hands tightly into fists by her sides. This isn't something that Kevin and Rika wanted to remember and the veteran members of the tennis club when Rika was captain – Terri, Tom and Billy – were twitching dangerously as well and were glaring at Inoue.

"I'm afraid that is a personal question, Inoue-san," said Kevin coolly. "If you really want to know, I'd suggest you ask Rika herself."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was finally the day of the Junior Senbatsu matches and the players involved, as well as the coaches were already at the tennis arena three hours before the start of the opening ceremony to get themselves ready.

The other schools were slowly trickling into the arena by then, all dressed in their school uniforms to identify the school that they're from. Seigaku's freshmen trio were currently rushing ahead of the tennis club regulars, crying for their sempais to hurry.

Shinderui Shiki who was with the remainders of Seigaku's tennis club who weren't involved with the Invitational team was sipping on a soda with a bored expression on his face, yet wheels were currently turning in his head. His cousin had telephoned him the night before, informing him that he and his best friend, Satochi Riku, would be at the matches as well, and Sora had also mentioned that Rika didn't seemed to be too impressed with the Americans' coach for reasons unknown, only that both Sora and Riku had a hunch that it had something to do with Rika's old tennis team when she's still in America.

No one had said anything, but everyone, especially those in Rikkaidai knew that Rika still cared about the members of her old tennis team, even if she is no longer their team captain and Marui heard from Rika that something is a little off with them. Though what exactly, Marui had no idea.

Riku and Sora frowned as they made their way into the tennis arena, noticing the large crowd which mostly comprises of girls near the entrance of the tennis arena, buying the goods of the Griffy siblings. Rika had mentioned once in passing about her old tennis team that Tom and Terri Griffy are part-time models in America and are especially popular with teenagers because of their looks and their tennis skills.

The America's super idols, the Jellybeans, were also invited to the opening ceremony of the Invitational games and were giving a mini-concert before the start of the opening ceremony and the matches.

"You know, correct me if I'm wrong, but don't you think that this is a little too extravagant for the Junior Senbatsu?" asked Sora with a frown, his camera hanging from a strap around his neck as he took a seat allotted for the Rikkaidai students. The other tennis club regulars from Rikkaidai were just making their way to their seats, and Inoue and Shiba, the reporters from Monthly Pro Tennis were just seated behind them with the Seigaku students not too far away from them. "I definitely don't recall last year's Junior Senbatsu games being _this_ glamorous and having famous figures invited to the opening ceremony."

"Yeah. Rika's said the same thing too," said Riku with a frown, studying the place. "She mentioned something about her childhood friend, Kevin Smith, saying something about the press conference yesterday that they both aren't very happy about. Something about the Americans' coach."

Sora sighed. "Even if this is an International Goodwill tournament between American and Japan, isn't this overdoing it for a junior high school competition?"

"Since it's that Baker man, I'm not surprised that he's gone this far," said Shiba with a frown.

**

* * *

**It was finally time for the matches and the Japan team were waiting not too far away from the tennis courts with their head coaches. Kikumaru grinned as he looked at Fuji. "It's finally time, nya," he said.

"Yeah," said Fuji with a smile and a nod.

The two teams from both America and Japan stood on opposite sides of the court with their individual coaches as a form of greeting before the matches begun and the veteran members of St. Andrew's tennis team were taken aback by the stony expression in their former captain's eyes as she studied each of them. Kevin wasn't stupid; he knew that Rika had already long detected something when she first met her old friends again at the street tennis courts more than two weeks ago. That's what exactly made her the captain of St. Andrew's and why everyone followed her willingly back then.

**

* * *

**The Rikkaidai and Seigaku students blinked as the cheers from the females and several males in another side of the stands nearly deafened them as they kept chanting Tom and Terri's names.

"What?" whined Sora, uncovering his ears. "They already have fans?"

"I've heard Rika mentioned it before," said Yagyuu, adjusting his glasses. "Those two were part of the tennis team that she was captain of before she left and came to Japan. They were part-time models."

"Not only that," said Inoue from behind them. "Baker grasps not only his players' playing ability, but also their personality and charm, and finds an appropriate market for each of them. That is the way Richard Baker, the star maker, does things."

Riku frowned, looking over at the Griffy siblings. "Well, those two _are _good looking," he admitted. "I guessed that tabloids and teen magazines like to feature them."

Down on the courts, Billy was grinning as he saw the Griffy siblings waving at their fans, inviting more squeals, and shivered as he felt Kevin's eyes boring holes into the back of his head and turned towards him, knowing full well that their former captain was glaring at him in the same way as well.

"What?" he asked his best friend irritably. "It's not _my _fault that Boss does things this way."

"No, it's not that," said Kevin irritably, jerking his chin towards a certain direction in the stands. "It's _that."_

Billy blinked as he turned towards the direction that Kevin was pointing towards only to see a couple of important looking men in business suits and a lone lady in their midst before blinking and scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "Er..."

He was now receiving the full blown glare of Kevin's full blast. "What the hell are _sponsors _doing in a tennis tournament?!" growled Kevin.

"How on earth am I supposed to know?" asked Billy in exasperation before he turned back towards the sponsors' stands again and gaped as he saw a pretty hazel brown haired girl in a pink dress seated with the sponsors. _'Stephanie...'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sakaki and Baker were exchanging a brief handshake before the matches could begin, and as they did so, the umpire announced the start of the matches over the loudspeaker system.

"_We will now hold the first match of doubles two."_

"I wonder who will be first up?" wondered Sora, looking towards the pathway that led to the Japan team's waiting room where the rest of the team had headed to after the formality greetings, along with the American team.

Atobe Keigo and Sanada Genichirou were making their way out of the pathway and Marui nearly choked on his bubblegum.

"Uso! Sanada _and_ Atobe?!"

"_From the Kantou Junior Invitational team, Sanada Genichirou and Atobe Keigo!"_

Riku nearly groaned as chants from the Hyotei side started to begin. "Here it comes," he groaned. "Atobe-san's cheering squad."

The two players for doubles two had entered the courts and the rest of the Japan team had gathered at the pathway with the head coaches – Sakaki, Hanamura, Tezuka and Ryoga.

"Can those two even play doubles?" Sora wondered aloud.

"_Facing them, from the American Invitational team, Billy Cassidy and Michael Lee!"_

Hanamura was acting as bench coach as Atobe and Sanada faced the red haired teacher. "It's finally time," she said. "Are you both ready?"

"I never imagined that I'd be paired in doubles with you," said Atobe, turning towards Sanada. "This will be interesting. I've heard a lot about you from my baby cousin. Time to see just why you're one of those that got my baby cousin's respect and admiration."

Sanada twitched slightly. "Whether it's in singles or doubles, and whoever my partner might be, I will just do my best," said the Rikkaidai fukubuchou in his usual deadpanned voice.

"Naturally," said Atobe with a smirk. "You shouldn't ease up just because I'm your partner."

With the rest of the Japan Invitational team, they were holding their own conversation. Rika was currently huddled to one side, studying Billy and Michael carefully as they were listening to whatever that coach of theirs had to say.

"Ne Rika," said Kirihara and Rika turned towards him. "What are Sanada-san and Atobe-san's opponents like? You know them, right?"

"I only know _one_ of them," said Rika, turning back towards the courts and everyone paid close and rapt attention to her words. "Michael only joined the team after I left America. Billy was already with the team when I was captain. He's extremely good. He's a power type player, and from what I heard from Kevin, Michael is a flexibility type player. But unlike Kikumaru-san, his type of flexibility is leaning towards Chinese kung fu." Rika paused, studying Billy, not noticing that she had everyone's attention. "Billy is originally from a Western ranch and had competed in many state rodeo championships. However, about a year or two ago, he moved to Los Angeles because of his father's job before settling down in California and enrolling in St. Andrew's. Being raised on a ranch and growing up in the countryside nearly all his life, he was at a complete loss in the big city and don't know half the things that we do – like traffic lights, for instance, and elevators, escalators, etc."

**

* * *

**Rika raised a brow as she recognised the look in Billy's eyes. Atobe and Sanada are now three games ahead and it's Billy-Michael pair's service. "It's here," she said grimly and everyone turned towards the courts. "Billy's special move."

Billy was twirling his racquet about in his hand like one would lasso a rope and the ball spun with extreme speed and power to Atobe and Sanada's court before spinning furiously in the ground and gaining a point.

"W-What's that?!" gaped Kikumaru.

"Billy's special move, the Bull Rope Serve," said Rika, fixing her eyes on the match, a frown on her face. She can tell right from the start that something is definitely off with this match. But whatever it is, she couldn't put her finger on it. Something just doesn't sit right with her. "In America, it basically meant 'a lasso to rope bulls'."

Fuji chuckled. "Fitting name for someone who grew up on a ranch," he said and Rika smiled.

"I thought that America will send St. Andrew's as their representative for the Goodwill Games this year," commented Rika. "Not that I'm blowing my own horn, but St. Andrew's is the best school for tennis in America. We didn't get to go to high school tennis tournaments for nothing. If classifying by skill, each of them are on National-level." Rika paused. "Billy's technique, the Bull Rope Serve...the more that he twirls his racquet, the longer the stretch becomes for the ball that he hits. Due to his outstanding reflexes, he had supreme control over the ball, and the Bull Rope Serve is something that only Billy can do."

"Mental note: never underestimate Westerners," said Kikumaru weakly and everyone agreed with the acrobatic player.

'_But it definitely seems as if he's indeed showing off for someone,' _thought Rika with a frown. _'He's giving it his all in this match, not something that he will usually do.' _She blinked as she spotted a certain someone seated with several men in business suits in a corner of the stands and smiled lightly, recognising the hazel brown haired girl who go to St. Andrew's with her in the past. _'I see. You're showing off for her, aren't you? For Stephanie. Stephanie told me about it. She first met you in a party and Kevin told me that Cupid strike then. You vowed to become a man worthy of her love. Stephanie is the daughter of a distinguished family in New York and your worlds are worlds apart. That's what make you take up tennis in the first place and how you met Kevin."_

She blinked as the umpire called the end of the eighth game.

"_Game, Cassidy-Lee! 4-4!"_

It was Atobe's service this time and Rika frowned as she eyed her cousin warily. She know her cousin and could see that he was slowly getting frustrated, not that she could blame him. Not even _Tezuka _could push him this far during the Kantou tournament, and the way that Billy and Michael had been playing him and Sanada for fools isn't sitting well with the Atobe heir. And if it is one thing that Rika knew about her cousin, it's that Atobe hates to lose and he hates getting his pride trampled on even more.

"Really, this is not a joke," muttered Atobe with frustration, getting ready to serve. "To have pushed _me _this far."

And he threw the ball up in the air and leaned backwards slightly more than he usually would to serve and used the serve that he was originally keeping to use as a trump card during the Nationals when he will face his cousin and Tezuka.

Billy blinked in shock as the serve didn't bounce, but travelled across the court. _'What the?' _Billy thought. _'What serve is that?!'_

"I name this, the Tannhauser Serve," said Atobe with a smirk.

Rika raised an eyebrow as Kirihara whistled from beside her. "Not bad," said the Rikkaidai sophomore with wonder. "It's just like that Tsubame Gaeshi."

'_Very interesting,' _thought Rika. _'Did you create this technique off __**mine,**__ cousin?'_

Atobe pointed a racquet at Billy. "Be awed by my prowess," he said.

**

* * *

**Marui raised an eyebrow in the stands, and down by the Japan team, Kirihara was looking at Rika with a knowing look before the freshman girl nodded and the Rikkaidai sophomore grinned. "You used your new technique on him, didn't you?" he whispered to Rika whom nodded.

Fuji placed a finger to his lips, smiling. "Tannhauser is the name of a hero in an opera, isn't it?" he said. "He was a young wandering nobleman overflowing with passion, and although he indulged in pleasure, his heart was not satisfied."

Oshitari smirked. "And of course, Atobe knew that when he picked this name," said the Hyotei genius. "He really is an exasperating one, my captain. He didn't have to keep something like that in reserve."

"No," said Rika, frowning, and everyone turned towards her. The girl was studying her cousin with a frown on her face. "I think he had another reason for it."

Oshitari blinked in confusion. "Another reason?" he echoed.

**

* * *

**Atobe was getting tired and it could be seen in his posture as he made a fault during his service game when just another point could earn them one more game. He gritted his teeth. _'Damn! Now I knew why Rika didn't want to use that new technique of hers often. It takes up an alarming rate of stamina to use!'_

"Do you think that he will use a regular serve?" asked Sengoku, seeing the Hyotei captain's tired and exhausted state.

"No, this is Kei that we're talking about, after all," said Rika with a frown. "You know how stubborn he can be. He'll use the Tannhauser Serve the whole game through. No matter what, he'll make himself hold his service game."

Oshitari sighed. "He's a stubborn one, alright," he commented and Rika chuckled.

"That he definitely is," she agreed, and back on the courts, Atobe twitched.

"Somehow, I felt as if someone is talking bad about me behind my back," he muttered.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"He returned it?!" gasped Sengoku as Michael returned Atobe's serve. "Why?! He couldn't even graze it before!"

"That Tannhauser Serve had a little bounce," said Rika and Kikumaru nodded slowly.

"It looks like as Atobe's service game continues, the bounce has been getting higher and higher," commented Kikumaru.

"Because my Tsubame Gaeshi uses the power of an opponent's shot against him, it doesn't place such a large burden on my arm," said Fuji thoughtfully. "However, when you put that much spin on it with just a serve, no matter what, the power will go down as the stress on your muscles builds up."

"I admit that the Tannhauser Serve is a splendid technique," commented Rika. "But he can't win this game with the serve alone." She frowned as she looked at her cousin. "But I'm sure that Kei knew this too, knowing him."

"_Game, Atobe-Sanada! 5-4!"_

**

* * *

**"It looks like you're at your limit," commented Billy, holding the tennis ball in his hand and Atobe scowled at him. "But I can do my Bull Rope Serve as many times as I want." He looked towards Stephanie.

'_Stephanie, please look on with confidence as I won't lose in front of you.' _He then looked towards Rika and smiled inwardly. _'You taught me tennis when everyone avoided me like the plague back then because I'm from the country. But you and Kevin didn't. You gave me the tools needed in order for me to climb up the ladder to the high society. That's why...please watch this match! This will be my present to you and showing you that your trust in me __**isn't**__ wrong!'_

And he served.

**

* * *

**"_Game, Cassidy-Lee! 5-5!"_

"This isn't good," muttered Kirihara, chewing on the tip of his thumb. "Atobe-san is getting tired. And it definitely seems like he hasn't recovered from his exhaustion."

"But knowing Sanada-fukubuchou, he is sure to have a plan," commented Rika. "Our fukubuchou hates losing."

Kirihara grinned. "That's right," he said.

**

* * *

**Sanada was now showing everyone just why he's called the Emperor in the Japan junior high school tennis circuit by covering Atobe, much to the Hyotei captain's displeasure, but Sanada ignored his complaints.

Rika smiled as she saw the look that Sanada and Atobe exchanged. "Seems like the real fight starts now," she commented, much to everyone's confusion, but Oshitari, Fuji and Kirihara – those who knew Atobe and Sanada knew what she meant.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_Game, Sanada-Atobe! 6-5!"_

"It will be difficult from now on," said Sengoku. "If Michael holds his service game, it will go into a 6-6 tiebreak."

"Atobe can't hit serves with any power right now, so if they can't settle it in this game, it will go into a tiebreak, and they will have no chance of winning the game," said Fuji thoughtfully.

"I'm sure that those two are fully aware of that as well," said Rika.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kirihara blinked. "Somehow, it looks as if they are in harmony for the first time," he commented.

"I kind of get the feeling that the two of them are dancing or something," said Kikumaru.

"Now that you mention it," muttered Oshitari. "I remember Atobe saying something about happening to meet Sanada at some kind of music event. If I remember correctly, it was a Latin music concert."

"Latin music?" blinked Rika, turning to look at Oshitari. "You mean like tango and samba?"

**

* * *

**"Another Rondo Towards Destruction?!" growled Billy as he rushed to receive it via another smash and the ball landed in Atobe's court before the Hyotei captain smirked and Billy's eyes widened in shock to see Sanada rushing to receive the ball and hit it at Billy's wrist, causing him to drop his racquet before Atobe made another smash, hereby ending the match.

"Be awed by OUR prowess," said Atobe with a smirk.

Marui whistled. "A two person Rondo Towards Destruction," he said.

"I will call it the 'Tango Towards Destruction'," said Atobe with a smirk.

"_Game and match! Atobe-Sanada! 7-5!"_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Hallway to America team's waiting room:_

"Still not enough training, huh?" Billy whimpered as they walked back to their room before Michael stopped in his tracks.

"Billy."

"Huh?" Billy looked up to see Stephanie waiting outside the door of the waiting room.

Stephanie smiled at him. "I was deeply moved, for the first time, while watching your match," she said. "It made me want to play tennis too. I wonder if you would coach me."

Billy stared. He couldn't believe his ears. "Is this for real, Stephanie?!" he asked, breaking into a smile. "I'll gladly coach you every day!"

Both Michael and Billy then caught sight of Rika standing behind a wall in the hallway and Billy smiled, nodding to her, and the freshman girl nodded, smiling at him slightly which Billy knew literally translates to 'nice game' in her language.

**

* * *

**"_Announcing the line up for doubles one. From the American Invitational team, Tom Griffy and Terri Griffy."_

Loud cheers erupted.

"_From the Kantou Invitational team, Kikumaru Eiji—"_

"Hoi?" Kikumaru blinked in surprise.

"—_and Oshitari Yuushi."_

Oshitari didn't say anything but smile, adjusting his glasses. Rika frowned. _'So the Griffy siblings against Kikumaru-san and Oshitari-san, huh?' _she mused. _'And all four specialises in doubles.' _She frowned. _'Let's hope that my speculations are wrong about the team once I see how Terri and Tom plays.'_

And back in the American waiting room, Kevin frowned inwardly as he watched the screen as it switched to the Japan team and clenched his hands into fists inside his pockets. _'Rika...'_


	23. The Marionettes of Sorrow

Sorry for the late update, people! And regarding my other Prince of Tennis fanfic which is another female-Ryoma-goes-to-Rikkaidai fic, I need some help. Can you guys give me some ideas for school names and the tennis players' names? That will be an awfully AU fic, though I'll still be slipping some story plots from canon into that fic. And it's my birthday two days ago, so happy belated birthday to me...

And I'll appreciate it if you can read one of my stories which is a Naruto crossover with Bleach and drop off a review or two. Anyway, this chapter will be the doubles one play. Please read and review!

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Three: The Marionettes of Sorrow**

_Japan team's waiting room:_

"All right!" cheered Kikumaru who seemed to be high on sugar as always, pumping one fist into the air. There was some intermission before the start of the doubles one match and the Japan Invitational team were gathered in their waiting room. "Let's take the next one too! Right? Right, Oshitari?"

And Kikumaru glomped onto Oshitari, much to the Hyotei tensai's displeasure.

Fuji chuckled. "This pairing is unexpected, but it still looks like a good combination to me," he said and Oshitari sighed.

"Give me a break," he said.

Kikumaru was still dancing about all over the place, glomping onto a bewildered Kirihara whilst Sanada and Sengoku looked on with amusement. Rika and Atobe were wisely keeping out of Kikumaru's way by standing in a corner since the former had enough experience with sugar high acrobatic players (cough, Marui) and the latter had enough experience with Kikumaru's self proclaimed rival as in Mukahi Gakuto to predict how Kikumaru will behave if he's high on sugar.

"Whoever gave him that cake earlier can die now," growled Kirihara, struggling to get out of Kikumaru's hold.

Rika sighed. "His excitement is contagious, it seems," she muttered and Oshitari nodded.

"Somehow, I can't help but catch his excitement," said the Hyotei tensai.

"I heard that you two worked quite a bit on your sign play," said Rika, turning towards Oshitari.

"Sign play?" said Oshitari, turning towards Rika innocently. "What are you talking about?"

Rika sighed and Fuji chuckled.

"By the way," said Oshitari. "Rika-san, you know the doubles pair that we're up against, right?" Rika nodded. "What do you know about them?"

"You can't underestimate them, that's for sure," said Rika grimly. "They're St. Andrew's best doubles pair when I was captain, and even now, I'm sure that didn't change. They're siblings, after all, and extremely close. I daresay that their doubles standard is equivalent to Seigaku's Golden Pair."

"I see..." said Oshitari, frowning slightly.

'_But...' _Rika frowned inwardly, remembering all their past matches when she was still with St. Andrew's. _'Something's not right. I can't put my finger on it just yet, but Billy's play earlier... Even though I do not know Michael, I know enough that their play earlier isn't their usual play. What the hell's going on?!'_

"Greetings!" said a voice and everyone in the room turned towards the slightly opened door of their waiting room to see Oishi and Momoshiro walking into the room, with Marui and Niou close behind them.

"How are you doing?" asked Oishi with a smile.

"Ah! Oishi!" Kikumaru beamed. "We're doing great! Fine, fine! Everything's great!"

Oshitari nearly groaned. "He's been acting this way for a while now," he said, turning towards his would-be-partner's doubles partner with exasperation. "Can't you say something to him for me?"

Oishi chuckled before the sounds of fan-girls' screaming pierced through the air and everyone turned towards the direction where the screams are coming from.

"What's that?" wondered Momoshiro. "It sure is noisy over there."

Rika sighed. "It must be their fanclub at work again," she muttered and everyone turned towards her. "Tom and Terri are part-time models and are quite famous in America, being featured in teen magazines and the like."

"Are you serious?!" Kikumaru blinked as Shiba and Inoue entered the waiting room. "Inoue-san!"

"Konichiwa!" said Shiba with a smile, raising her camera. "I hope you won't mind, but would you let us take some pictures?"

"Tom and Terri?" blinked Inoue as Shiba took pictures of Oshitari and Kikumaru in a corner of the room. "Well, I'm sure that Rika-san knew this already, but their fanclub over in America is practically half of America's teen population. I also heard that their fans reserved practically all the seats on the airplane to come from America for this."

Rika sighed. "Why am I not surprised?" she muttered. "Back during my tennis days with them, we practically have to ask several members from the Student Council in school to shoo away their fans whenever we have practice."

"Well, those two _are_ good-looking," muttered Marui, blowing on a bubblegum. "Almost like Hollywood stars."

"The younger sibling, Terri, is the more popular of the two," said Inoue. "Because she's a girl, she fascinates both female and male fans." Inoue shrugged as Shiba finished her photo shots. "That's how popular the Griffy siblings are."

* * *

_America's team waiting room:_

Kevin watched with a frown as Tom and Terri posed for shots for the American reporters that had specifically came to Japan for this game. Billy plopped down next to him, wearing a grin on his face which looks as if it will crack his face in half.

"You don't look happy," remarked his best friend. "Angry that we lost?"

"No," said Kevin, scowling at Billy. "It's Rika."

Billy blinked and even the Griffy siblings paid rapt attention at this as the reporters left the room. "What about the captain?" asked Billy curiously. Even though Rika is no longer their captain, the veteran members of St. Andrew's tennis team still see her as their tennis team captain, even Kevin.

"I know that look that she had on her face earlier," said Kevin, chewing on his lower lip nervously. "She's detected something. She knows that something is wrong. She doesn't look happy at all and you know as well as I do that she's scary when she gets mad."

The Griffy siblings twitched a little.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_We will now hold the second match of doubles one. From the Kantou Junior Invitational team, Kikumaru Eiji and Oshitari Yuushi! From the American Invitational team, Tom Griffy and Terri Griffy!"_

The rest of Japan's Invitational team were gathered by the sidelines to watch the match as usual and Rika who was leaning against the wall frowned a little as she studied Tom and Terri who were waving to their fans in the stands.

'_Show me your play,' _she thought. _'And I hope that my speculations are wrong about the team.'_

"The American team will surely want to take this game," said Sakaki who was acting as bench coach. Oshitari and Kikumaru were both standing before him. "They will want to avoid losing two straight games. That's all."

Oshitari and Kikumaru both nodded before heading towards the courts where Tom and Terri stood waiting. They tossed for sides and the American team got first service.

"_One set match! Tom to serve!"_

Tom was serving and as he got ready to serve, he glanced towards Rika's direction to see that she was looking at this match and smiled inwardly. _'Please watch our match, Rika,' _he thought. _'We won't disappoint you!'_

And he served.

**

* * *

**

"_Game! Tom-Terri! 1-0!"_

Rika whistled. "They're still as good as a doubles pair as before," she muttered. "As expected from the Griffy siblings."

"They're good," admitted Atobe. "Much as I hate to admit it."

"Yeah," said Rika darkly before turning her attention towards the Griffy siblings who were standing in front of their coach. _'But...' _She narrowed her eyes dangerously. _'It seems like the game is just getting started...'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"There it is!" said Oishi as he saw Kikumaru using his acrobatic tennis. "Eiji's acrobatics!"

"That's a tough one to counter," said Atobe with a nod. "Kikumaru's acrobatic play allows him to reach most balls...even the most difficult ones."

"But it won't work this time," said Rika grimly and everyone looked at her. "Because of Terri's play style..."

"Huh?"

And everyone turned to see Terri smiling before leaping into the air, turning herself upside down in the process. "What is that?" gaped Kirihara, rubbing his eyes to make sure that he's not seeing things.

'_Here it comes,' _thought Rika and Kevin at the same time. _'Terri's flexibility tennis.'_

"What the hell is that?!" gaped Sengoku, blinking at the sight of the only female American representative in the air whose acrobatic play style far exceeds both Gakuto's and Kikumaru's acrobatic tennis.

"Terri's play style," said Rika, watching as Terri received the ball with the racquet by hitting it between her legs. "She's got a naturally flexible body which is why she can play like this. And also the reason why Tom is her doubles partner."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Sanada with a frown.

"Well...if Tom is a hard hitter – specialising in hitting hard and heavy balls, Terri specialises in fast balls," said Rika. "Her eyesight is extremely good as well – on par with Seigaku's Kikumaru-san. She's about the only one in St. Andrew's in the past, other than myself and Kevin who can see most fast balls."

"Hoi?!" Kikumaru gaped as the ball that Terri received shot past him.

"Leave it to me!" grunted Oshitari as he received the ball and hit it past Terri who was still airborne and said ball flew past the American girl's shoulder and both Oshitari and Kikumaru blinked in shock as Tom appeared on the baseline of the court in a split instant, smashing the ball which landed in Kikumaru and Oshitari's court, earning them a point.

"0-15!"

**

* * *

**

"W-What was that?" gaped Sora from the stands, rubbing his eyes to make sure that he wasn't seeing things.

"It reminds me awfully of a circus performance," muttered Riku and Marui and the rest of Rikkaidai's tennis regulars who were seated near them nodded in agreement.

"Jeez...that team is nothing but a collection of really strange people," grunted Seigaku's Momoshiro, folding his arms across his chest.

**

* * *

**

"Tom and Terri seemed like quite the tricksters, don't they?" remarked Fuji with his eternal smile.

Atobe sighed. "I can see why they're St. Andrew's best doubles pair," he muttered and Kirihara nodded.

Rika sighed. "Their play style is similar to the Golden Pair of Seigaku," she said. "One attacks and the other defends. Terri is the attacker of their doubles play whilst Tom is the defender. But still...I doubt that Oshitari-san and Kikumaru-san will fail in this aspect."

Fuji chuckled. "That's for sure," he said.

**

* * *

**

"I will not allow them to look down on us any longer," grunted Oshitari, not amused with their opponents' tactics as Kikumaru dashed to receive the ball and hit a lob to the baseline of their opponents' court.

"Naive!" grunted Tom, leaping into the air, attempting a smash. "It's mine!"

The ball sailed to Kikumaru's court and both Griffy siblings blinked in surprise as they saw Kikumaru grinning and winked, sticking his tongue out at Tom and the green-haired player blinked. "Huh?"

Oshitari smirked as he used a move that was one of Fuji Syusuke's famed Triple Counters: Higuma Otoshi.

Tom and Terri were both taken aback as the ball entered their court so quickly that they have no chance to return it.

"15-15!"

"There it is!" said Niou with a grin. "Oshitari's Higuma Otoshi."

"That Higuma Otoshi was good," remarked Fuji.

"Nice assist from Kikumaru-san," said Rika.

"Yeah," said Sanada with a nod. "But it looks like the real game starts now."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

And so, the game continued.

Rika narrowed her eyes as she recognised the look of desperation on Terri's face. She sighed, bringing attention to her, rubbing her eyes. "How long has it been since I've seen that look on Terri's face?" she muttered. "Not since that day, I guess."

"'That day'?" echoed Kirihara.

"It's coming..." said Rika grimly as she noticed the Griffy siblings' formation. "Their special move." She sighed. "Tom and Terri... They were street performers when I first met them with Kevin in the streets of Los Angeles. When they were children, their parents died and they were taken in by their aunt. Their survived by supporting each other in their aunt's chilly barn." She sighed. "Kind of like the story of Cinderella. It was on one of their 'collecting days' that Terri picked up a pair of tennis racquets and a ball and both siblings started playing tennis." She sighed. "Unfortunately, their aunt found out about it and made them be street performers by using tennis as the tool. Their performance is kind of special, not those that you see on the streets every day. Terri will be blindfolded, standing on a stack of crates, facing a wall, whilst a row of tin cans will be laid out before her. Tom will be on the ground, armed with a racquet and a ball, knocking all those tin cans down with precise accuracy. But there is that one tin can right in front of Terri which Tom can't hit without hitting his own sister. But just before the ball hit her, Terri will leap into the air just before the ball hits her, toppling the can. They've incorporated that trust and move into their tennis."

**

* * *

**

"What the-?" gaped Oshitari as Terri moved out of the path of the ball just before it could hit her and the ball entered their courts.

Not to be outdone, Kikumaru returned the shot only to have Tom returned it as well with a particularly fast and hard shot, using the same tactic earlier.

"I can't see the path of the ball," muttered Oshitari.

This time, the ball entered their courts without either one of them being able to return it.

"Game! Tom-Terri! 3-2!"

**

* * *

**

"That's an amazing play," muttered Sengoku, his eyes wide. "I can see why they're doubles players."

"And it definitely seems like they've gotten serious at last," remarked Sanada.

Rika raised an eyebrow as she noticed Kikumaru making the peace sign behind his back and smiled. "It seemed like our side is as well," she said.

Oshitari was serving and the moment that he served the ball, both Kikumaru and himself switched court positions, much to everyone's surprise and shock. Everyone – even those from Japan – gaped as they could swear that they've seen after images of Kikumaru flickering left and right behind Oshitari before the cat-like boy returned the ball which entered Tom and Terri's court, earning them a point.

"15-0!"

**

* * *

**

"When did those two come up with such a formation?" wondered Momoshiro.

Oishi smiled. "That Eiji," he said. "That's the new formation that we secretly came up with. By switching the forward guard and the rear guard, the opponents are confused. While on the other hand, because our offensive and defensive roles are clear, it's easy for us to attack."

* * *

"Is that the sign play that they were talking about before the match?" wondered Kirihara, his hands clasped behind his head.

"Game! Kikumaru-Oshitari! 3-3!"

**

* * *

**

Tom growled low in his throat as he saw the same tactic being used again. _'Again?!' _he thought. _'We can't lose here! We __**can't**__ lose in front of the one who had taught us tennis!' _He flickered his gaze over to Rika standing on the sidelines before hitting the ball via a straight cross.

Kikumaru grinned and winked before moving out of the way and the ball ended out of the courts.

"Out! Kikumaru-Oshitari! 4-3!"

The cries and screams from the girls in the stands were growing louder, much to the Japan tennis players' displeasure and discomfort.

Rika frowned as she spotted the look on the Americans' coach's face and scowled inwardly. She didn't like the look on his face and frowned as she saw Tom and Terri exchanged worried and anxious looks as whatever Baker said had obviously gotten to them.

'_What did he say to them?'_

Back in the Americans' waiting room, Kevin scowled. _'Are you two going to continue being the coach's marionettes? Without a will of your own? We taught you better tennis than that!'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"That trick doesn't work on us any longer!" grunted Oshitari as the Griffy siblings used the same tactic as before and returned the ball to the opened area of the court, earning their side another point.

"15-0!"

Rika frowned. She knew Tom and Terri and could see that their hearts aren't in the game. _'I think I know what's going on now,' _she thought. She scowled. _'Baker...you've just messed with the wrong person!'_

"30-0!"

"Something's wrong," remarked Fuji, opening his eyes. "Why do the American team insisted on using a technique which won't work anymore?"

Kikumaru wasn't pleased either and was yelling at Tom and Terri until the referee told him off.

"Those two..." said Atobe slowly as the game continued again. "Their hearts aren't in it."

"Not only that," said Rika, narrowing her eyes. "Something's wrong. Deadly wrong. I know Tom and Terri's play style. It didn't use to be like this!" She narrowed her eyes dangerously. _'These guys didn't use to be like this. That Baker...what the hell did he do to them?! This __**isn't**__ their tennis!'_

**

* * *

**

Kevin growled low in his throat, sounding rather like a pissed off tiger. _'How much longer are you going to act as his marionettes?!'_

He then spotted the look on Rika's face on the television screen in the waiting room and she don't look happy.

"The captain doesn't look pleased," remarked Billy.

Kevin snorted. "Of course not," he said. "You know how she feels about fixed matches. That's exactly what made herself and our vice captain to thrash that high school team so badly in that tournament more than a year ago." He sighed. "Knowing her, she's going to do something soon."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

During the intermission at 5-3 with Oshitari and Kikumaru in the lead, Rika growled. She turned to her brother who was standing at the sidelines with them. "Niisan, lend me your phone," she said, growling like an angry dog which made everyone backed away from her in terror.

"Huh?" blinked Ryoga as he handed his sister his phone. "Okay...but who are you calling?"

"Those idiots over there," growled his sister, punching in a number and holding the phone to her ear. She watched as Tom fumbled about in his bag back on the courts and answered the phone.

"_Hello?"_

"_Tom, it's me," _said Rika in English and Tom blinked and turned towards Rika's direction. _"What the __**hell**__ are you and Terri doing?"_

"_We're not doing __**anything."**_Tom tried to defend himself. _"Your doubles pair are seriously giving us a hard time."_

"_Don't give me that crap!" _growled Rika. _"I know you and your sister. And I know for a fact that you're both good enough to win __**high school **__tennis teams easily! Even if Kikumaru-san and Oshitari-san are better than you, they shouldn't have given you such trouble! And your play during the game just now...your hearts aren't in it! What the __**hell**__ are you two doing?"_

"_I..."_

"_Answer me one thing, Tom Griffy," _snapped Rika. _"What exactly is __**your**__ tennis? What are you playing tennis for?!"_

"_I..."_

"_What did you and Terri promise me the day when you joined the tennis club?"_

Far off in the distance, she could almost see Tom tense up. _"I..."_

"_I may no longer be your captain, but as long as you still play tennis, I expect you to keep that promise! You guys are __**not **__marionettes! You have a will of your own, don't you? If you and Terri play like this, you're no better than the cowardly team that killed Yuki." Click!_

**

* * *

**

And as the game continued, Rika could see that her words were starting to have an effect on Tom and Terri as they seemed hesitant for some reason. Back in the Americans' waiting room, Kevin smiled inwardly.

'_You're the only one that can motivate them,' _he thought, looking at Rika on the screen of the television. _'You reminded them just what they're playing tennis for. For that, I thank you. I can now feel safe enough leaving the tennis team in their hands once I leave.'_

**

* * *

**

'_Lose this game.'_

Tom gritted his teeth as he allowed a shot to get past him, allowing their opponents to win another point. Rika's words were running through his head. That girl, along with their former vice-captain and Kevin were the only three that had his respect, along with his sister.

'_What exactly is __**your**__ tennis? What are you playing tennis for?!'_

Terri looked at her brother and bit on her lower lip nervously. She had heard the entire conversation through her brother's phone earlier and knew that their former captain isn't happy.

'_Rika...' _thought Terri. _'You didn't give up...not even when the odds were stacked against you. Like during the last tournament nearly a year ago...when that guy asked you to give up the match against his brother's school... That was a fixed match and everyone knew that and was angry with it. You told us that you're going to play to the best of your ability and that you hope that we wouldn't play to their pace. Everyone was touched by that and went all out. And you knew what it cost you. You hated fixed matches. More than anything, in fact. That's why you thrashed your opponent so badly back then. _'What exactly is my tennis?'_ My tennis is...my tennis is...'_

"_Terri!"_

Terri looked up only to see a ball coming towards her face before she bent her body in impossible angles and hit the ball with a backhand, returning it to their opponent's court who didn't see it coming and earned them a point.

"40-15!"

"Terri..." muttered Tom as Kikumaru jumped up and down, shouting something in Japanese that neither one of the siblings can understand.

"I know the answer to Rika's question now, Brother," said Terri, getting to her feet. "My tennis is..._my own!_ 'Tennis is tennis. You just hit a yellow ball back and forth between two or four people. An endless and annoying game. All that you do is to gain a point against your opponent. Serves and smashes are merely tools used to achieve that'." Terri smiled. "Rika said that once, didn't she? My tennis...is my own! I play to my best ability! I..._don't want_ to lose!"

Tom smiled and nodded. "Yeah."

Rika smiled as she noticed that the siblings seemed to have come to a realisation on their own. _'Let's have a match someday...Tom...Terri.'_

In the Americans' waiting room, Kevin smiled as he saw this. _'You're not marionettes any longer,' _he thought. _'Just remember that.'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_Game and match! Tom-Terri! 7-5!"_

Baker blinked in shock. _'They...won?' _he thought, not noticing the venomous glares shot at him by two certain captains of St. Andrew's – one former and one present.

"Woohoo!" cheered Kikumaru as they approached the net to shake hands. "You guys are good!"

"Like I'm telling you, they don't understand Japanese," said Oshitari with exasperation.

"Come on, tennis doesn't need language to express," whined Kikumaru.

The Griffy siblings exchanged looks before grasping the hands of their opponents in a brief handshake. _"Thank you very much," _said Terri in English, smiling brightly at Kikumaru.

"_You helped us to realise what we're playing tennis for," _said Tom with a charming smile – a real smile this time, not a fake one. _"Thank you."_

"Sorry Boss," said Terri as they approached their coach who was seated on the bench. "We won."

"Don't worry about it," said Baker, waving a hand towards the stands which was nearly erupting with loud cheers from their fans. "You made the audience much more excitable. This works better than my scenario. _Good job."_

"Thank you, Boss," said Tom, exchanging looks with his sister. "We appreciate all that you've done for us, but from now on, we want to play our _own_ tennis, with no interference from _anyone. _We want to know and understand just what make our captain go against that team in that tournament nearly a year ago, despite knowing what it may cost her."

Tom and Terri then bowed to Baker before leaving the courts to return to the Americans' waiting room. Baker frowned as he watched their departing backs. _'Their captain, huh?' _he mused, glancing towards the Japan team's direction and eyeing the sole female player in their midst. _'California's strongest middle school player. Is she the reason behind St. Andrew's lost strength in tennis? The St. Andrews now...is different from the St. Andrews that I remembered being featured in tennis tabloids and magazines in the past. What is her secret? What makes her players go all out for her like this despite leaving the team? What makes her players still see her as __**their**__ captain even though she is no longer their captain? Echizen Rika...just what are you?'_

Kevin was standing on the sidelines of the courts as Tom and Terri walked back to the American's waiting room. Tom stopped still in his tracks, blinking. "Kevin..." he muttered.

The blonde smiled. "You've found it, have you?" he asked. "Your purpose?"

Both siblings nodded. "Thanks to Rika," said Tom. "But this time...we want to play tennis solely for ourselves. And we want to know just what make her go against that team in that tournament nearly a year ago."

Kevin smiled. "That's good," he said. "Both of you...are no longer marionettes. Even if you are still one, you're a marionette with your strings cut."

Tom and Terri exchanged glances and smiled before walking towards their waiting room with a smile and a shine in their eyes which wasn't there before. They have finally found their purpose in life and in tennis.

Kevin smiled as he watched them go. _'That's another problem solved for them,' _he thought. _'I had thought that by coming here and seeing Rika again will help the team. And it seems like my assumption is right. They still respected her.'_

**

* * *

**

"_Announcing the line up for singles three. From the American Invitational team, Bobby Max."_

Loud cheers erupted.

"_From the Kantou Invitational team, Sengoku Kiyosumi!"_

Cheers erupted from the stands, particularly from the Yamabuki section of the stands where a large portion of the students were cheering at the top of their lungs for Yamabuki's only representative to the Invitational games.

Sengoku was fumbling about in his tennis bag before he took out his racquet and flashed the remaining members of the Japan Invitational team a charming smile. "Let's go, shall we?" he asked. "I'm feeling lucky today."


	24. The End of the Invitational Games

**Chapter Twenty Four: The End of the Invitational Games**

Kevin scowled as he leaned against the wall outside the room in which Baker, Nakamura – one of Baker's 'sponsors' – as well as a lady named Takayama were in. It was just after the end of the singles two match, and Arnold who was playing in that match lost.

Singles three had ended up in a draw when Sengoku Kiyosumi and Bobby Max have both collapsed when the match ended up in a tie-break. Kevin wasn't stupid. He knew that Baker had invited the sponsors to the match for some unknown purpose that he wasn't aware about and with them losing two of their games, with one ending up in a draw, the sponsors were displeased and had left, leaving only one sponsor – that Takayama woman.

Kevin's eye twitched as he heard Baker go on about one of his scenarios again. He had started to detest their so-called coach the moment that he stepped foot into St. Andrew's tennis courts, but he couldn't say anything if their team still wanted to participate in tournaments, and he still has to think about the rest of his team.

He may be one of those who had trained the tennis team when Yuki and Rika were still around, but Yuki was the one who had drawn up their training menu whilst Rika and himself merely followed her instructions in training the team.

Kevin sighed. He missed those days. As he turned around and walked back to the American team's waiting room where there was some intermission before the start of the final match, Billy Cassidy walked up to him, a concerned look on his face as he watched Kevin pouring himself a cup of warm water from the nearby water dispenser.

"What?" asked Kevin, taking a sip of the water.

"Stephanie told me about what the coach had proposed to the sponsors," explained Billy. "Maybe you were right all along about the coach."

Kevin sighed, rubbing his temples. "He's meeting up with that lady sponsor right now," he said. "And I'm pretty sure that he's banking this sponsor alliance on the singles one match which meant that he would want me to win, no matter what. And no doubt that he had another one of his 'scenarios' in mind." He scowled at this.

"You don't like it, do you?"

"Damn right, I don't!" grunted Kevin. "And if I don't, Rika wouldn't too. And I know better than to let her know about the coach's training methods, or who knows what she'll do! She isn't very pleased as it is with Tom and Terri's match earlier and had more or less knew what the coach had been doing all along."

"She's our captain for a reason," noted Billy.

Kevin sighed, tossing his empty disposable cup into the nearby trashcan. "Since when did tennis become something like this?" he muttered miserably. "When did tennis become nothing short of entertainment for the wealthy and the influential? Things didn't used to be like this in the past."

Billy looked downcast at this point. "If only...if only we didn't play that school back then, none of this would have happened," he said. "I don't blame the captain for this. But if that bastard didn't kill the vice-captain, the captain wouldn't have left and things wouldn't have come to this!"

Kevin sighed. "We can't change the past," he said. "What we can do is change the future." He sighed. "When did tennis become something like this?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was nearly half-an-hour before the players participating in the singles one match was announced. And the names on the billboard were: _Kevin Smith versus Echizen Rika._

Rika looked extremely angry by then, and anyone with even half a brain had the sense to keep away from her as she walked to the courts where Kevin stood waiting by the net. The blonde looked absolutely terrified of his childhood friend as she was glaring at him with a look that could have passed off as a Medusa glare.

The American team were also standing by the sidelines then as half of the team wanted to see how their former captain fared against Kevin and the singles one match also happens to be the most important match.

"This is going to be good," said Terri and her brother nodded.

"Aa," said Tom with a nod. "It's the much anticipated match of the century. The reunion of California's two strongest."

Arnold snorted as he turned around as if to walk off only to be caught by the back of his collar by Billy's long arm. The Westerner was fixing Arnold with a stern look. "You're not going _anywhere!"_ he said. "See for yourself just why our former captain had the ability to bring St. Andrews to participate in high school tennis tournaments when we're still in elementary school."

Over by the Japan team, Kirihara was looking at Rika with concern. He had detected that she seemed extremely angry about something the moment that the doubles two match had ended and knew that it had something to do with the Americans' coach.

"This match is going to be interesting," said Kirihara. "I want to see how our Ice Princess fares against her own childhood friend."

**

* * *

**"_We will now start the final match of singles one. From the American Invitational team, Kevin Smith! From the Kantou Invitational team, Echizen Rika!"_

Both childhood friends and former team captains of St. Andrews were currently standing at the net, exchanging the usual formal greeting before a match, but even the referee shivered at the cold look in Rika's eyes. And anyone who knew her knew that she's now extremely furious.

"Is _this_ St. Andrew's tennis now?" asked Rika coldly. "What the hell did Baker do to the team?"

"I can't do anything," said Kevin helplessly. "I may be captain, but it's only in name. There's nothing that I can do to change it. I had hoped that by having St. Andrews come to the Invitational games, the Tennis Association will take notice and replace the coach."

"I see," said Rika, seeing what Kevin had in mind. "It's been a while since we've played against each other like this, didn't we?"

"Aa," said Kevin with a nod. "We've never really completed our match back in America, right?"

Rika sighed. "I'm sorry about this, Kevin, but I won't take this lying down. Baker had done what no tennis coach would do," she said. "The tennis team of St. Andrews is one which I'd built up myself, and I won't have some idiot throw the years of our hard work down the drain. I may have to go all out on you in order to make the Tennis Association take notice."

Kevin nodded. "I understand. Do what you must. Let's have a good match," he said before they tossed for sides and Rika got first service.

Both friends walked away from the net to take their positions on the court.

"_One set match! Echizen to serve!"_

Rika gripped the tennis ball in her hand before throwing it up in the air and served.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_Game, Echizen! 2-0!"_

"You know, I'm kind of afraid of her right now," whimpered Kikumaru as the two players changed courts.

Rika had gone all out from the beginning, and so did Kevin. But in Rika's case, all out meant National level, and unfortunately for Kevin, he hadn't been able to beat her once even from when they're kids. There's a reason why she's the tennis team captain of St. Andrews in the past.

"She looks extremely angry," noted Oshitari. "What's going on?"

Sanada and Kirihara frowned, noting the angry expression on Rika's face. "This isn't just a match for them," said Kirihara grimly. "I've heard Rika talked about it. That Baker man had ruined the tennis team that took her and her friends years to build it up to what it was today. I guess you can call this match the revenge on Baker for what he had done."

**

* * *

**"The captain doesn't look happy," said Billy, noting the look on Rika's face. "In fact, she looks extremely angry. The last time that I saw her like that is nearly a year ago during that tournament."

Tom and Terri twitched slightly at this.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_15-15!"_

Kevin winced, wringing his throbbing hand. "You're sure not holding back, are you?" he asked, looking at Rika.

"I told you, I don't hold back on anyone, even if it's you," said Rika with a smirk. "Come at me, Kevin."

"With pleasure!"

Kirihara grinned from the sidelines as he noticed Rika's standing posture. "It's coming," he said.

Rika returned the ball with an upper-cut and the ball landed in the court before spinning furiously on the ground and vanishing, much to Kevin's astonishment before appearing on Kevin's other side.

"_30-15!"_

**

* * *

**"W-What is that?!" gaped Terri.

Billy whistled. "Since when did she have this technique up her sleeve?"

**

* * *

**Kirihara grinned. "Seems like she's completed it at last," he said, inviting curious glances from the rest of the Invitational team members. "A technique for dealing with left handers. She practiced it with me throughout the Invitational camp and seemed to have only just completed it recently. And the name of the technique..."

**

* * *

**"...Phantom Ball," said Rika.

Kevin smiled. "Did you get this idea from my Illusion Ball?" he asked.

The Illusion Ball was a technique that Kevin had perfected with Rika a few months before the accident which caused her to leave the team and America. Kevin had originally created this technique to use in the American Nationals. It was named 'Illusion' as the ball will seemingly appear as several dozen balls before entering the opponent's court. Likewise, it would only work in a singles match. And because Rika was the one who had helped Kevin to create this technique, she's the only one which the Illusion Ball can't work on as she knew the weaknesses of this shot and knew how to return it.

Rika smirked. "Something like that," she said as she got ready to serve again. "I'm coming, Kevin."

Kevin sighed. "Every time I see you, you come up with something new," he said.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_Game, Smith! 3-2!"_

"Continue keeping this pace," said Tezuka who was acting as bench coach as there was a short break for the players for singles one.

Rika nodded as she sipped from her water bottle when both player and coach heard the tell tale sound of a slap and spun around to see that Baker had backhanded Kevin across the face and Rika frowned, feeling her blood beginning to boil.

"You didn't have to hit him," muttered Terri from across the courts. "How cruel."

Rika scowled inwardly at this. "Echizen," said Tezuka warningly.

"I know," said Rika seriously, tapping the frame of her racquet against her shoulder. "I won't lose." She glared at Baker from where she stood and Kevin noticed her glare.

'_I know what you're up to now, Mr Baker. Tennis isn't your entertainment or something for you to make profits off! To us and to the tennis team of St. Andrews, tennis is our life! It's everything to us! I've failed the team once, but I won't fail them again! I will not make the same mistake that I once did!'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_Echizen to serve!"_

Kevin raised an eyebrow as he saw Rika holding her racquet in her right hand and frowned. _'What is she going to do?'_

Rika threw the ball up in the air before serving, and the next instant, the ball had entered Kevin's court before he could blink and moved about in circular motions faster than one could blink and shooting upwards in the air, knocking his racquet out of his hands.

"_15-0!"_

"It's here!" grinned Marui from the stands, blowing a bubblegum. "Rika's Whirlpool Serve!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"You can't keep this serve up forever, Rika!" shouted Kevin as he accidentally lobbed a ball and there was a glint in Rika's eye before she leapt into the air and all those who were present during the Kantou finals recognised that stance.

Shiki smirked. "It's here," he said. "Rika-san's trademark smash: Cyclone Smash. One that hadn't been able to be returned yet. Not even Fuji-sempai's Tsubame Gaeshi had been able to return that smash."

"_Game, Echizen! 4-2!"_

Kevin panted, a happy grin on his face as he looked at Rika. "I forgot," he said. "You still have that."

Rika smiled. "You've improved, Kevin."

"I have to if I want to be the captain of the best tennis team in America," said Kevin.

"_Kevin!"_

An angry yell caused both players to turn towards Richard Baker who was the one yelling.

"_Don't get distracted! You idiot!"_

Rika frowned as she watched the referee told the coach off. By the sidelines, the veteran tennis members of the American team were grinning. "It's been a while since I've seen the captain smile like that in a match," said Terri, referring to Rika. "Kevin too. Both of them had stopped smiling after the vice-captain died."

"Yeah."

Rika frowned before looking at Kevin who nodded. The blonde knew what his friend was asking: _'does this happen often?'_

Kevin sighed. He don't envy Baker after the match is over. The Echizen name is of considerable influence in America, especially since Rika is California's number one player and her name carries weight with the Tennis Association in America especially since she's the first female tennis team captain for inter-gender teams.

He knew that Rika had planned something, and that 'something' most probably have something to do with that Takayama woman and the man wearing a business suit seated near her and that guy named Nakamura.

"The captain doesn't look happy, does she?" noted Terri. "And Boss looks desperate as well."

"We were truly indebted to Baker-san," said Tom grimly. "Even now, that doesn't change. But we owed everything that we have today to the captain. She may have taught us tennis, but she never did to us what Boss did. That's what earned her our respect. And I'm sure the former players of the tennis team feel the same as well. That's why we followed her, and respected her decision to leave America and the team after the vice-captain died."

Terri nodded. "You're right, Brother," she said. "But to put it bluntly, we can't follow Baker-san's methods anymore. The captain reminded us of what we're playing tennis for, and Kevin's said the same thing as her: _'what exactly are you playing tennis for?'"_

Bobby nodded solemnly. Even though he had never known the former captain of the tennis team personally, he knew enough from Tom, Terri, Billy and Kevin's stories as well as the stories around the school to know that she's someone worthy of respect, which is the reason why the tennis team always followed her.

"'Even if you're a marionette, you're a marionette with your strings cut'," recited Tom before smiling a real smile. "That Kevin... He knew all along. He knew that Rika is the one person whom we will never disobey and respected."

Arnold didn't say anything. He now understood why half of the members on the team respected the girl so much. Watching her play and the way she treated all her tennis team members with respect had somehow made him understand and respected the girl a little as well. He admitted that she's ten times the person that Baker ever was, and he understood now why Baker was so concerned over the former captain of St. Andrew's tennis team who was California's number one.

"I agree..." said Michael grimly.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was now the tie-break and both players were clearly worn out, having given it their all.

"_1-0! Echizen leads!"_

"Why didn't Kevin use the Illusion against her?" wondered Arnold. "The Illusion is a sure-win shot against any player, right?"

"Yeah, _if _it's 'any player'," said Terri, making quote marks in the air. "But unfortunately, Rika is not just any player. She helped Kevin create that technique and she's the one person that the Illusion can't work on."

"Furthermore," said Tom grimly. "There's a reason why she's our captain, you know? And it definitely seems like she's grown stronger from the last time that we've seen her."

"_2-0! Echizen leads!"_

**

* * *

**"_5-3! Echizen leads!"_

Both Kevin and Rika were now panting, hunched over on their hands and knees. "I never did expect for you to push me to my limit," said Rika via pants as she got ready to serve again. "But this is the final point!"

And she served before Kevin returned it via a short cross and the blonde was taken aback by the look in Rika's eyes as she got in a posture that he had only seen her do once. "T-That's..."

"This is your present, Kevin!" said Rika before she returned the ball which spun like a tornado before entering Kevin's court so quickly before he could blink.

'_T-Tornado Spin?!'_

"_Game and match to Echizen! 7-6!"_

Kevin and Rika were both panting before they made their way to the net to exchange the usual greeting and grasped each other's hands in a handshake. "Nice game," said Kevin via pants and Rika nodded.

"You've improved," said Rika with a smile. "Much more than I've expected you to. This match could have just as easily gone to you."

The sound of clapping caused both players to turn to see Tezuka on his feet, clapping, a brief smile on his face before it's gone again that Rika and Kevin both wondered if it's a trick of the light.

"Echizen, you've done well," said Tezuka with a nod before the stands erupted into cheers and claps, especially from the Rikkaidai section.

"_Kevin!"_

Baker was on his feet, looking angrier than anyone had ever seen him. "Because of you, everything is ruined! How are you going to make up for it?"

Chants of Kevin's name was starting to sound from the crowd and Takayama who was seated in the stands smiled proudly as she watched the two players down on the courts as Rika and Kevin looked around in wonder.

"'Tennis could be used to touch people's hearts'," recited Kevin and Rika smiled.

"You remembered," she said and Kevin nodded.

"Yuki said that to us once, didn't she?" asked Kevin. "And I finally understand."

"Yeah. But I doubt your coach does," said Rika, jerking a thumb towards Baker's direction who was currently in a conversation with that Nakamura guy.

Kevin snorted in amusement. "It's unlikely that he ever will," he said.

The cheers and claps were getting louder by the minute and Kevin and Rika raised their arms up in the air. From the sidelines, the veteran team members of St. Andrew's were clapping as well and their eyes widened, as for a split second, they could almost see the silhouette of their deceased vice-captain standing next to Kevin and Rika...like what she'd done so many times in the past when they won their tournaments in America.

'_Vice-captain...' _Terri breathed.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Hallway to Americans' waiting room:_

The clicks of Takayama's high heels clicked on the hallway leading to the waiting room of the Americans as she headed to meet with the American team and their coach.

"What are you dawdling around for? Hurry up. It's useless to stay in this country for even one more instant."

"That may not be the case," said Nakamura as he opened the door for Takayama, "Baker-san."

"What?" asked Baker as he saw the stern look on Takayama's face. "Surely you don't have any more business with me?"

"Even if I say I will sponsor the American team?" asked Takayama and Baker blinked. This also got the attention of the entire American team.

"W-Why? Even though Kevin lost..."

"Even though it was a loss, Takayama-san was deeply moved by Kevin-kun's match," said Nakamura with a smile on his face.

Takayama sighed. "Baker-san, surely you've heard them?" she asked. "All those calls of 'Kevin' after the match." A smile broke out on Takayama's face when she looked at the team. Billy had his arm slung over Kevin's shoulders, a grin on his face. "It's not just Kevin. Billy. Bobby. Arnold. Tom. Terri. Michael. You all had good games. I was impressed."

"T-Then why did you say that your condition was that Kevin had to win his match?" asked Baker, not understanding.

"Do you still not understand, Baker-san?" asked Nakamura with an exasperated sigh. "She wasn't testing the players. She was testing _you."_

"W-What?"

"The problem doesn't lie with the players," said Takayama. "It was you. Whether you would be a good business partner in the future or not... But unfortunately, that does not appear to be the case."

Nakamura then turned towards the half-opened door. "Please come in," he said as a tall burly brown-haired man wearing a business suit entered the room and Kevin's eyes widened as he recognised this man as one of the scouts in the Tennis Association for participators for the big tennis tournaments for America like the US Open and the Nationals.

And the most important thing is that this man also happened to be a friend of Rika's father and had also met the girl several times in the past. Kevin grinned inwardly. He now knew that Rika had a hand with helping the team out of their plight which is Richard Baker.

"I'm sure that Kevin-kun knew this man too, along with Echizen Rika-kun," said Nakamura and Kevin nodded. "This is the director of the All-American Junior High School Tennis Association, Steve Meyers-san."

"Well...what official business brings the Association Director all the way here?" asked Baker, a fake smile on his face as he approached Steve, a hand outstretched.

Steve looked at the hand which was offered, but didn't take it and looked at Baker sternly. "This may be abrupt, but I'll get to the point immediately," he said. "It wouldn't do to waste even one instant, right?" He reached into his pocket and drew out a slip of some official looking document and handed it to Baker. "The child of one of my close associates and who also happened to be someone well associated with the Tennis Association in America contacted me two days ago regarding your questionable coaching methods of St. Andrew's tennis team which is our country's hope for tennis..." At this point, the veteran members of St. Andrew's tennis team knew who he was referring to. "With the close of the Japan-America Goodwill Games, you have been banned from the Association and a new coach will be picked for the tennis team of St. Andrews."

Kevin and the rest of the team exchanged pleased expressions.

"I-I don't understand what you mean..."

**

* * *

**"That's right!" said Inoue, talking into the phone whilst Shiba was driving the car. "The American team has acquired a sponsor. However, Coach Baker, the key figure, has been banned from the Tennis Association. It seems he used Association funds improperly on the publicity."

"I thought the way he spent money on that press conference was suspicious," said Shiba with a snort as the traffic light switched to green and she stepped down on the gas.

"Yes, this is Monthly Pro Tennis's scoop," said Inoue excitedly. "Let's replace this month's article with it immediately."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Kawamura Sushi:_

"Cheers!"

The clink of glasses sounded the air as the tennis teams of Rikkaidai and Seigaku as well as the American team were gathered for a celebration the night after the end of the Japan-America Goodwill Games.

Things were all right for the American team now especially since the American Tennis Association had decided to send a tennis coach that Steve Meyers had picked personally, under a personal request from Kevin and Rika both. And thus, the tennis teams of Seigaku, Rikkaidai and St. Andrews have gathered in Kawamura Sushi to celebrate.

For the Americans who had never eaten Japanese food before, this was a first for them and they sampled every sushi delicacy that was laid out before them.

Kevin and Rika exchanged glances as Kaidoh and Momoshiro started fighting over the last anago sushi behind them and nodded. Kevin cleared his throat and everyone turned their attention towards him. "Everyone, I have an announcement to make," he said. "I won't be going back with you guys to America five days from now. The court case about my father's had been closed about three months back and my adoption into the Echizen family had been made official. Thus, I'll be residing in Japan from now on."

The faces of the American team were nearly amusing to watch. "You're leaving the team, Kevin?" asked Billy with dismay. "First Rika, now you too?"

"Come on, we've dealt with this when Rika left. I'm sure that you'll do fine without me," said Kevin with a smile. "If what you've displayed during the match earlier is any indication, then I'm sure that you guys will do fine without us."

Billy sighed and the rest of the team chuckled. "Who's the new captain then?" he asked.

Kevin and Rika exchanged amused glances before looking at Billy. "Do you have to ask?" asked Kevin with a grin. "I'm appointing _you."_

Billy nearly choked on his sushi. "H-Huh?!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

For the next five days, Rika took the American team sightseeing. They went to several tourist attractions in Japan like the Tokyo Tower and even went up it to look at the view where Terri found out for the first time that she had developed a fear of heights and hung onto her brother for dear life.

They also went to the Kaminari Gate which is a famous landmark in the Asakusa district of Tokyo and even posed for photos which Billy made a mental note to have it developed for every member of their tennis team...even Rika and Kevin...for remembrance sake.

Kevin even led them to the games arcade where Arnold who didn't know anything but tennis before this had some difficulties with playing the games, much to everyone's amusement. Terri even dragged her brother and the rest of the boys shopping with her, much to their dismay and Rika's amusement.

Soon, it was the day of departure for the American team and Rika and Kevin came to see them off at the airport, along with the entire Rikkaidai and Seigaku teams, and the American team had some great fun teasing Rika when they found out about her and Yukimura, much to their once captain's embarrassment.

"Many things happened, but it was a good match," said Tezuka, approaching the current team captain of St. Andrew's – Billy. "If there's another opportunity, let's meet on the court."

"_Okay!" _said Billy in English before switching to Japanese, with a slight American slang to it, putting a thumbs up. "When your shoulder is healed!" Tezuka blinked and Billy grinned. Behind him, Kevin who is the only one who understood Japanese other than Rika translated what the two were talking about to the others. "The rumour that you're a _good player _has reached all the way to America. Of course, you guys too." Billy added, glancing at the Rikkaidai team who grinned. "Our captain talked about you guys a lot during the emails that we exchanged and we've wondered what you're like. You're truly as good as she said."

"Not just Tezuka-buchou and Rikkaidai!" said Momoshiro with a grin. "We'll be your next opponents."

"Oh, I'll be looking forward to it," said Billy with a grin before he turned towards Kevin and Rika and his expression turned serious. "Rika, you're our captain. This fact won't change, no matter who the current captain is." Rika blinked. "When you first joined the tennis club, it wasn't that famous then. You _made _it famous, along with Kevin and the vice-captain. You built St. Andrews to what it was today. You're no longer our captain, but we won't let your work go down the drain. We'll keep St. Andrew's winning streak. Who knows, maybe when you come to America again, St. Andrews will once again become the champion school in all of America! No matter what, St. Andrews must _never _lose!"

Rikkaidai and Seigaku exchanged amused glances. St. Andrew's rule and Rikkaidai's rule seemed to be about the same as in the rule that losing is forbidden.

"With that, we have to go," said Billy with a grin.

"_I'll be back," _said Bobby.

"_Okay, take care," _said Rika in English and the team nodded.

"_Bye!"_

When Kevin and Rika walked to the entrance of the terminal which Billy and the rest have to go through to board their flight, the rest of Rikkaidai and Seigaku kept back to give them some privacy.

"By the way, Rika," said Terri, turning towards Rika as they got in line to show their passports to the Customs officers. "We received some word on 'that team'."

Rika's face paled and Kevin nodded grimly. "'That team'?"

Tom sighed, not willing to let their captain know, but knew that she must be prepared for it if she ever met him again in this country. "The last team that we faced during the finals of the tournament nearly a year ago," he said grimly. "Krauser."

Rika's face went a few shades paler. "What about him?"

Billy, Tom and Terri exchanged looks as Arnold handed in his passport to the officer. "I heard that Krauser went to Japan about six months back," said Billy grimly. "He's currently attending school here...though we didn't know which region of Japan he's currently in. What we _do_ know is the name of the school that he's attending and he's also the captain of the tennis team. Apparently, after that accident, there were rumours circulating everywhere that the Krauser family is somehow involved with the death of the vice-captain and your sudden disappearance from the America junior high school tennis circuit. It was then that he vanished from St. John's Academy – the only elementary school other than St. Andrew's who managed to participate in high school tennis tournaments."

Silence.

"The name of the school that's he in?" said Rika dangerously.

Billy, Tom and Terri exchanged nervous glances before Billy turned back towards Rika.

"Madoya Academy."

* * *

_A/N: If you're confused about the last part, read chapter four when Rika was telling Rikkaidai about her past in America and why she quit tennis in the first place. Anyway, sorry about this chapter since I've used up practically all my ideas in describing tennis matches. And if you're wondering if Rika will participate in the US Open, yes, she will be. And Kevin will be attending Rikkaidai as well, though I'll most probably be making him the training manager or something of the tennis team unless you've got some better ideas for his role._

_I hope you like this chapter and please read and review!_


	25. Goodbye, Rikkaidai

Sorry for the late update! I have a serious case of writer's block for this story and my ideas have come to a standstill. Anyway, I hope that you like this chapter and please read and review!

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Five: Goodbye, Rikkaidai**

_Rikkaidai Fuzoku:_

"What do you think?" asked Rika, leaning against the fence next to Kevin as he looked at the regulars playing against each other in singles matches in the tennis courts of Rikkaidai Fuzoku.

It had been about a week ever since the end of the Goodwill Games, and Kevin had been enrolled into Rikkaidai as a student as well and is also in Rika's class. Also, by some miracle, Yukimura and Yanagi had somehow roped Kevin in as their manager. The blonde wasn't a regular in the team as there were already more than enough with Rika's addition. He'll only be a regular the next year when the seniors graduate.

Like with Rika's arrival, several of the tennis club members didn't take Kevin seriously when he first arrived – apparently, those few had forgotten about Kevin's performance during the Goodwill Games. Long story short, Kevin totally thrashed them in a tennis match, leaving them bleating like sheep on the courts.

"Well, they're good," said Kevin with a nod. "I can see why you spoke of them highly during the emails that you've exchanged with the others back in America."

"The Nationals are just around the corner," said Rika thoughtfully. "That's why everyone is practicing so hard lately. There are several good opponents in the Nationals this year…Seigaku being one of them. We nearly came close to being defeated by them during the Kantou finals. That's why we have to step up our training."

"And speaking of that," said Kevin with a frown, turning to Rika as Marui settled down on the bench next to them, taking a short break. "What are you going to do with the US Open?"

Rika's face fell.

Nearly three days ago, a letter from America had come for Rika. It was from Steve Meyers, the director of the America's Junior High School Tennis Association and also a scout for the major tennis competitions like the US Open and the Nationals. Apparently, Steve Meyers had watched Rika's match with Kevin from the beginning till the end during the Goodwill Games, and he had also somehow managed to get his hands on the videotapes of Rika's past matches in Japan _and _America, and had considered recommending her as a Wild Card for the US Open in America which will be an inter-gender tournament this year. And because Rika is still a minor, he had first contacted her father and Nanjirou had given the okay, much to Rika's displeasure. Needless to say, the entire team had heard of it too when two tennis club members overheard Kevin and Rika talking about it one day in the clubroom, and within hours, the whole tennis club and the school had heard about it. The news had spread really fast…even for Rikkaidai's standards, in Rika's opinion.

"I don't know," said Rika quietly. "I want to go to the Nationals. This year is the only chance where I'll get to go to the Nationals with everyone."

Marui nearly choked on his drink as he heard that. "Rika, the US Open is a once in a lifetime chance!" he said. "I'll _kill _for such a chance, and you're turning it down?! You must be crazy!"

"But the Nationals is what I was aiming for," said Rika.

The rest of the regulars had surrounded them by this point in time and had heard the argument. Yagyuu sighed and pushed his glasses up his nose. "Rika, the US Open starts earlier this year," he said. "You can still make it back in time for the Nationals. We'll leave a spot open for you. Right, Yukimura?"

Said captain nodded.

Rika sighed. "And if I know anything about that father of mine, he'll want Kevin to go with me," she said with a sigh and Kevin chuckled. "Damn… Why does Meyers-san have to write to my father about this?"

"With that, I guess we're going to miss our youngest player for a while now," said Niou with a grin, his hands clasped behind his head.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Two days later, Rinko and Ryoga had made the necessary arrangements for Rika and Kevin in America and Nanjirou had phoned Steve Meyers, informing him that Rika had accepted his request for her to enter the US Open and that they'll both arrive in America in a week.

Yukimura had cancelled practice for a week for his regulars to spend some quality time together with their two youngest as they won't be back for some time until the Nationals begin. And much to Kevin's amusement, the regulars were all busy getting ready some farewell gifts for Rika.

Sora and Riku too spent some time with their friend to the point when Riku chose to cancel his violin practice until Rika left for America. Sakaki-sensei was quite understanding of it since nearly all the schools in the Kantou district knew of Rika's participation in the US Open…courtesy of a certain St. Rudolph's data manager.

Yukimura, meanwhile, had been disappearing for days on end after school, doing kami-knows-what. Not even Sanada knew what their captain is up to, and Rika seemed to be the only one who had seen him after school since the blue-haired captain usually took her to the amusement park or playing against her in the street tennis courts of the Kanagawa district.

Finally, it was a day before Rika's departure for America, and Kevin and Ryoga were both helping her pack the necessities, with Karupin giving the occasional meow whilst seated on the windowsill, his tail swinging to and fro. Kevin had been given his own room – next door to Rika – and the boy had merely packed the necessary clothes, his wallet, his passport, along with his tennis racquet and cellphone.

Nanako was also fussing over Rika, packing some medication for the girl to take to America, much to Kevin and Ryoga's amusement, along with a first-aid kit.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Morning of departure; Echizen Residence:_

"The passport, the ticket, toothbrush…" Rinko was mentally ticking off the items as she packed it in Rika's carrier bag in the sitting room of the Echizen residence. Ryoga was meeting up with the regulars of Seigaku as they would also be seeing his sister off and Fudomine's Tachibana Ann would also be seeing her friend off at the airport.

"And drops for the throat," said Nanako, handing a packet to her aunt.

The doorbell rang just as Nanjirou stepped into the living room, causing the man to raise an eyebrow in confusion. "Huh? Who could that be?"

**

* * *

**"You've got everything, haven't you?" said Kevin as he was seated atop the windowsill of Rika's room, his legs swinging to and fro, playing with a tennis ball in his hand by throwing it up and down.

"Yeah, I was just checking to make sure that I hadn't forgotten anything," said Rika, looking through her bag. "Mum wanted me to take my laptop with me, but I assume that the hotel has a computer in their hotel rooms, so I won't bother bringing it."

Kevin snorted in amusement. "At the rate that they're behaving, they're acting like you'll be away for _years, _not weeks," he said.

Rika chuckled before opening the drawer of her desk and taking out her I-Pod. "Never leave home without this," she said, much to Kevin's amusement before placing it into the side pocket of her duffel bag, along with a compact disc player.

"Rika," said Rinko, appearing at Rika's opened door as she finished packing everything. "Your friend is at the door."

"Huh? Friend?" Rika blinked as Karupin meowed, playing with Rika's opened red and white duffel bag on her bed.

**

* * *

**That friend turned out to be Shinderui Shiki from Seigaku who had apparently taken the train from Tokyo to the Kanagawa district. The freshman was in casual clothing and had asked for a match with Rika out of the blue.

"A match?" Rika blinked as she followed Shiki into the tennis courts at the back of her house. "All of a sudden?"

"Because I didn't get to play you during the Junior Senbatsu camp, I'm not about to let you leave Japan unbeaten," said Shiki with a smirk, his tennis bag hanging from his shoulder.

"Okay, I see your point," said Rika with a sigh before they headed to the tennis courts and got into position. "I'm ready anytime."

Shiki smirked before he served and Rika returned the serve, not surprised to find that it had a lot more power packed into it compared to when she had played him during the Kantou tournament. Her brother had been telling her stories that Shiki had been training twice as hard after he had seen her match with Kevin during the finals of the Goodwill Games.

Shiki smirked as he ran up to the net and hit a drop volley, forcing Rika to hit a lob to him and the silver-haired freshman ran to the baseline, ready to deal out his gift to Rika. _'Rika-san, this is a farewell gift from me!'_

And he leapt up into the air and used his Whirlwind Smash, only that the power and speed of the ball had increased a lot more compared to when Shiki had used it during the Kantou finals against Rika. The ball spun furiously on the spot in Rika's court before earning a point against the girl. Rika studied the spot where the ball had entered only to see a dent on the court itself – signifying the amount of power packed into that smash.

'_That's some power…' _thought Rika. _'He had improved a lot ever since I had faced him during the finals of the Kantou tournament. If I can make it back in time for the Nationals, and if Seigaku managed to face us, I can't wait to play him again.'_

"This is it," said Shiki, tapping his racquet on his shoulder. "I'll save the rest of the match for when you come back for the Nationals." He then grabbed his overcoat on the bench by the side of the courts and picked up his tennis bag before leaving the Echizen residence, but not before saying his farewell to Rika. "Go run all over them, Rika-san."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Somewhere else:_

"Juri, can't you hurry it up?" asked Yukimura as he watched his photographer cousin rush out what he had asked her to do a few days before with the memory card that he had given her. "I'll miss her departure if I don't hurry." And he looked at his watch with an anxious look.

Juri turned to her cousin with an annoyed look. "Come on, Seiichi, I'm doing the best that I can!" she said. "You've given it to me on such short notice!"

"Can you finish it for me within an hour?" asked Yukimura worriedly.

Juri turned to her cousin with a smirk. "Who do you think I am, Seiichi?" she said. "I'm a professional. Don't worry, I'll get it ready in time for you to catch your girlfriend's flight. I'll even drive you there."

**

* * *

**_Narita Airport:_

"Rika-kun, before you leave, could you tell us what's on your mind?" asked Inoue Mamoru, interviewing Rika in terminal one of the Narita Airport.

"Nothing," muttered Rika.

Seigaku and Rikkaidai's regular teams were currently at the airport to see Rika off, along with Ann. Sora and Riku were also present, alongside Yuuta, Rika's parents and her older brother, along with Seigaku's coach.

"Being here at the airport brings back memories," said Ryuzaki with a chuckle as she watched Ann and Yuuta get into conversation with Rika. "Of what you said when you left for America."

Nanjirou grunted.

"_Go and run all over them, Nanjirou."_

"_Sure thing. There's a big dream waiting for me there."_

"You met Rinko-san there, and now you're seeing your daughter off to pursue the dream that you once had," said Ryuzaki with a chuckle. "Somehow, I feel like I've gotten old."

"That sounds really ancient, you know, old lady?" said Nanjirou, looking at his daughter and her friends.

"Rika," said Sora and Rika turned towards him and Riku. Sora reached into his bag and pulled out a jewel CD case. "This is from me and Riku. Recorded in it are all the violin pieces that Riku had played. I recorded them into this CD." Sora winked. "One of them is the violin piece that Riku is going to use for the competition coming up in a week." Sora whispered to Rika as she accepted the CD. "His sister wrote the violin piece herself. You'll like it, trust me. You can listen to it on the plane."

"Thank you," said Rika.

"Take this as well," said Marui, giving a roll of grip tape to Rika. "It's my favourite grip tape – one that I've used all the time. Use this and do your best in America."

"Thanks."

**

* * *

**_Somewhere else:_

"Nearly done," said Juri, using a pair of tweezers and carefully placing it onto the album with cream coloured pages.

Yukimura glanced at his watch. "Looks like we've just made it in time," he said.

**

* * *

**"Rika, take this," said Yuuta as he pulled out a tennis ball from his pocket and gave it to Rika who noticed chibi figures of Yuuta and Ann drawn onto the ball, both forming the peace signs. "It's not much, I know, but we don't really know what to give you."

"I appreciate it, Yuuta," said Rika with a smile. "Thanks."

"And this is from us as well," said Ann, pulling out a red tennis racquet with a tennis ball keychain out from her pocket. "Take this as a good luck charm."

"Thank you."

Next up is Yanagi.

"In these notebooks, I've written all of the data that I've collected about Rika…or what I could collect anyway from the time she came to Rikkaidai until present," said Yanagi with a sheepish grin, holding three notebooks in his hand. "This is from both myself and Sadaharu."

"'An extra volume, kouhai notes'." Kirihara read the label of the notebooks.

"That means these are their notes on Rika-san!" said Kikumaru, blinking owlishly. "Are you really going to…?"

Yanagi smiled and Inui smiled eerily, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Rika, I'm sure that this will be helpful to you," said the data master of Rikkaidai, handing the three notebooks to Rika, eyeing them wistfully. "Give it a look on the plane."

"I appreciate it, Yanagi-sempai, Inui-san," said Rika.

Fuji chuckled. "If we take that to the other schools, they will surely pay us a bundle of money," he said. Everyone stared at the tensai in disbelief, as if not believing what they're hearing from his lips. Fuji chuckled. "I'm only joking."

Yuuta sighed. "Mou…Aniki…" he muttered.

"Rika, this is from Sanada, Jackal and myself," said Niou, reaching into his bag and pulling out a small leather-bound book. "This is signed by every member in the tennis club."

The book had 'Rikkaidai Fuzoku's tennis club' written in gold on the front cover and when Rika opened it, it is to see various pictures of the tennis club members pasted on the pages and below those pictures was a short phrase and signatures of the individuals in the photographs.

"Thank you, Sanada-fukubuchou, Jackal-sempai, Niou-sempai."

"They are all getting excited, just like a kid at night before his field trip," said Shiba, watching the tennis players before her. "When you see them like this, they certainly look like middle school students, don't they?"

"No, moments like this won't last long," said Inoue gravely. "The task imposed on Rika-kun has just started to weigh in. The US Open is one of the four Grand Slam tournaments. It's a tournament game with two weeks of fierce fighting between the world's top 128 players."

"She's going to be alright," said Shiba, before focusing her camera on the freshman girl. "But still…I wonder how far she can climb?"

**

* * *

**Yukimura frowned slightly, looking out of the rear passenger window as his cousin tapped one finger continuously on the dashboard of the car. His gift to his girlfriend was in a paper bag by his side. The Rikkaidai captain nearly groaned as he looked ahead of him at the road leading to the airport which was currently crowded with cars.

"A traffic jam at a time like this?!" He nearly groaned.

**

* * *

**"This is a healing CD from me," said Yagyuu, handing a CD over to Rika. "Listen to this and mediate when you get tired. Then you can relax well. I recommend it."

"Thank you," said Rika hesitantly. "But…" She looked pointedly at all the farewell gifts in her arms from her teammates and friends.

"No problem!" chirped Kirihara, coming up to them just then with a paper bag under his arm. "This is from me."

"Isn't that for sale in the airport?" asked Oishi with amusement as Rika placed all her gifts into the bag carefully only to blink in surprise as she saw a graphic novel in the bag as well – one that she's been searching for some time now.

Kirihara grinned before lowering his voice. "A cousin of mine managed to get it for me," he said. "It's the last one left. With that, do your best in America."

"_Flight number 304, from Narita to New York: check-in is now in progress."_

"Seems like it's almost time," said Ryoga, looking at the nearby clock. "Take care of yourself, Rika."

Yanagi frowned as he looked at his watch before looking at Sanada. "Where's Yukimura? He's going to miss Rika's departure," he said.

"I don't know," said Sanada with a frown, looking at the entrance of the airport terminal. "He said something about getting some stuff."

"I won't be able to wait for him, or I'll miss the flight," said Rika with a disappointed sigh. "Sanada-fukubuchou, send my regards to him."

"Okay," said Sanada with a nod. "Do your best over there, Rika. We'll see you when the Nationals start."

"Hai."

**

* * *

**The car screeched to a halt by the passenger alighting area of the airport and Yukimura opened the door before running towards the terminal where he knew Rika will be departing for her flight from. Praying that he'll make it in time, Yukimura dashed towards the terminal, dodging the surrounding people.

The blue-haired captain came to a stop as he saw the clock of the airport which read: _03:05pm. _Yukimura sighed. "Did I fail to make it on time?" he muttered.

"You're late," said a voice and Yukimura blinked and turned to see his object of affection standing behind him.

"Rika?"

There were sudden wolf whistles sounding the air and both Rika and Yukimura blinked and turned to see both Seigaku and Rikkaidai's tennis teams grinning like the cat that had caught the canary. Niou was whistling and Marui was grinning, alongside Ann and Yuuta.

"The flight has been delayed," said Rika, turning back to her boyfriend. "Something about the engine."

"I see…" said Yukimura with a smile. "Then I managed to make it in time." He then took out a beautiful sky-blue covered album with cursive gold lettering 'Rikkaidai Fuzoku Tennis Club Regulars' written across it. "I managed to get this done in time for you."

Rika looked at Yukimura curiously before opening the album only to see photographs of the tennis regulars of Rikkaidai pasted on the cream-coloured pages of the album. There were not only photos taken at the ceremonies after each tournament that they won, but also photographs taken at places like the time when they went to the beach before their match with Jyousei Shounan, and the time when they went to the Sakura Festival. There were also several photos that Rika recognised as the ones that Sora had taken. And beneath each photo was the date of each event written in black cursive writing.

Yukimura smiled at her. "We can't be with you physically over in America whilst you're competing in the US Open, but we'll always be you in your heart," he said. "We'll wait for you to come back during the Nationals."

Rika nodded, hugging the album to her chest.

"_The preparations for the delayed flight 304 to New York have been completed. Passengers, please go to the gate."_

"It's time," said Kevin. "Rika, let's go."

"I know," said Rika before turning towards her teammates. "I'll come back in time for the Nationals, I promise. And don't worry, I won't lose in the US Open."

"Fight, Rika!" said Marui with a grin, hanging over Niou's shoulder as everyone watched Kevin and Rika walked towards the Customs officer to hand in their passports and airplane tickets to board the flight. Rika smiled and made a two fingered gesture before entering the gate with Kevin.

Nanjirou smiled proudly as he watched his daughter go off to pursue a dream which he couldn't make come true back then. "The big dream that I couldn't make come true," said Nanjirou. "Rika, you make it come true."

"It isn't that you couldn't make it come true, but that you didn't, right?" said Rinko, looking at her husband. "Because you had another big dream."

Nanjirou smiled.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_New York:_

"America," muttered Kevin as they entered the arrival hall of the airport. "We're back here again."

"Aa," agreed Rika.

"Hey, Rika! Kevin!" called a voice and both teens turned around to see a tall burly brown-haired man wearing a purple business suit waving to them. Rika smiled slightly as she recognised him instantly as Steve Meyers.

**

* * *

**"Welcome back to America," said Steve as he drove both teens to the hotel where they'll both be staying in during their time in America after retrieving their luggage. "I'm sure that you're both tired from the long flight. I will first take you to the hotel where you'll both be staying. We can then talk after that."

"Hai," said Kevin and Rika in unison.

Rika's sharp eyes then caught sight of her red and white duffel bag moving and she blinked before looking closely at her bag. Apparently, Kevin had noticed it moving as well since both teens were now looking at the bag as if half-expecting it to explode or something.

The bag moved again, and Kevin and Rika exchanged looks before Rika reached over to her bag which was sitting between Kevin and Rika both before unzipping it slowly. And when the bag was fully unzipped, a white and brown blur leapt out of the bag and leapt onto Rika, causing her to scream in surprise and Kevin to gasp and for Steve Meyers who was driving to swerve the car as the loud meow startled the man who definitely was _not _expecting for a _cat_ to jump out of his charge's bag.

"_Karupin?!" _Rika blinked in surprise as she tried to prevent the cat from licking her face. "You came along as well?!"

"Meow!"


	26. Back in New York

Sorry for the wait, people. And to answer a few questions, no, Rika will not be going back to Japan to play against Yukimura like how Ryoma did in canon. This will probably be the last chapter for the US Open arc before moving onto the Nationals arc. The next chapter will mostly probably be out in the first week of the new year. As for my other Prince of Tennis fic, I will be starting the rewrite sometime next week as well. So sorry for the wait, but I'm really busy recently.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Six: Back in New York**

"Meow."

Rika blinked bleary eyes awake as she awoke to the sound of her Himalayan cat's meow and sat up in her bed to study her surroundings only to notice that she's in a hotel room of some sort and smiled slightly. _'That's right. We're back in America.'_

Rika looked over to the other occupied bed in the hotel only to see Kevin all bundled up like a cocoon. In fact, the only thing visible is his head. Sighing, Rika walked over to the blonde's bed and shook his shoulder gently. "Kevin. It's morning. Wake up."

Kevin merely rolled over, muttering, "Five more minutes, Rinko-obasan."

Rika twitched, forgetting that Kevin can be extremely difficult to wake up in the morning. Without a word, the girl grabbed the blanket around Kevin before pulling on it, sending the boy face-first to the ground which woke him up instantly.

"Itai!" Kevin whined, rubbing his head before looking up at Rika. "Can't you wake me up in a gentle manner, Rika?"

Rika snorted before heading over to the small bathroom attached in their hotel room, armed with her toothbrush and toothpaste. "If I am gentle every single time that I wake you up, you'll be late for school every single day."

**

* * *

**Half an hour later found the two dressed and outside the hotel with their tennis bags before both teens noticed a drug store just across the road from the hotel that they were currently staying in. "Should we get some breakfast there before we go?" asked Kevin and Rika gave a light shrug before both crossed the road.

A tan-skinned man wearing a long sleeved light blue shirt with the shop's name printed on it, along with a green apron was sitting behind the counter, reading a copy of that day's _The Daily Times. _"Morning," said the man, whose accent was a little thick, looking up at them with a slight grin as the bell tinkled above the door as they walked in. "What can I get you?"

"Two bottles of milk and two cheese sandwiches," said Rika before the man got up and opened the door of the small refrigerator behind him which had a see-through glass door for customers to pick their choice of food before taking out what Rika had picked out and placed it on the counter before them.

"Chinese?" asked the man.

Kevin shook his head. "Japanese," he said.

"I went there when I was young," said the man. "Sumo…samurais… It's a very exciting country. But I couldn't stand natto (fermented soybeans)." He held out his hand. "Seven dollars."

"Where to next?" asked Kevin whilst munching on his sandwich as the two walked out of the drug store, his bottle of milk in a plastic carrier in his hand.

Rika sighed, looking at Kevin as she swallowed the last of her sandwich and stopped in her tracks. "Kevin, maybe you should visit your father," she said out of the blue and Kevin stopped dead in his tracks, turning to look at Rika as if she had just turned mad.

"Are you crazy?!" Kevin nearly shouted. "After what's he done to my mother?!"

"He's still your father," said Rika patiently. "You won't be coming back to America for awhile after the US Open. See him for the last time. He's serving a life sentence in jail, isn't he?"

There was silence for a while before Kevin looked up and nodded. "I owe it to my mother at least this much," he muttered. "Let's go."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The New York prison which is where Kevin's father was serving his sentence was a little far from the town where both teens were currently staying in, and thus, both teens took a cab to the prison. After going through the usual procedure which involved jotting down their personal particulars on the visitors' list, they were escorted by a prison guard to the visitors' room where they sat waiting for George Smith to enter.

Rika was actually outside the visitors' room as she never did like the man, and furthermore, she thinks that Kevin should have some privacy, and there's no telling what the man will do if he saw her. Though she can still see and hear everything that is going on inside through the one-way looking glass separating the visitor room from the hallway that she's in.

Finally, when George Smith was brought in by a prison guard, with both his hands handcuffed together, Rika studied the man closely. The man was a far cry from the stern and burly man that he was whom Rika remembered when she was in kindergarten with Kevin and Yuki. Back then, Kevin was quite cheerful and loves to talk, and all the teachers liked him, and even her own parents do. But the moment George Smith turned up, Kevin will immediately revert to a shy and quiet boy.

Now, the once burly man seemed to have grown thinner and his mane of golden hair so much like Kevin's own was cropped short and the skin on his hands were rough and there were signs of calluses all over them – the evidence of the man doing woodwork.

Rika could still remember what led to George Smith being imprisoned. Kevin and herself have been friends ever since they were small children and they had the luck to be placed in the same school together when they entered elementary school. Kevin's mother had died around that time as well. But then, about two years before the Echizen family had left America, Kevin came to her house one night in the pouring rain, dark bruises all over his body and Rinko had let him stay the night which wasn't uncommon as Kevin and his mother sometimes stayed over at the Echizen family's house when George Smith was in one of his violent moods.

Long story short, Kevin had had enough and had immediately filed for child abuse, and when authorities searched the house of George Smith, they found several firearms – weapons which George Smith never had a license for, and he was hereby charged with severe case of child abuse and being in illegal possession of firearms. The long and short of it was that George Smith was sentenced to a lifetime imprisonment.

Rika was startled from her musing when a loud bang on the table caused her to whip her head around to the visitor room only to see Kevin on his feet, both hands on the table – apparently, the blonde was the one who had caused that loud crash.

"I guess coming to see you was a big mistake!" snarled the blonde. "I had hoped that after so many years, you would've changed, but I guess that was a fool's hope! It's because of you that Mom died! She put up with so much abuse at your hands for so many years until she died of heartbreak the year that I started elementary school! If it wasn't because of Rika and her family, I would have snapped a long time ago! Rest assured, I won't be coming back after this."

Kevin then turned on his heel and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him before looking at Rika. "It's no use," said the dejected blonde. "He's still the same as before. Coming here was a mistake."

Rika sighed. "Very well," she said. "I received a message from Billy earlier. Steve Meyers told them that we've arrived to America sometime yesterday, and they told us to meet them at the tennis courts near the hotel where we always go to practice in the past."

Kevin nodded before following Rika.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Took you long enough, you two!" said Billy with a grin, waving to Rika and Kevin as they approached him. The boy was waiting with Tom and Terri not too far away from the tennis courts which they used to go to in the past.

"What did you call us out here for anyway?" asked Kevin with curiosity.

Tom grinned. "To take you to meet someone," he said. "Come on."

Billy led them towards one of the tennis courts on the east side where a brown-haired man wearing glasses and wearing a semi-casual brown suit was waiting, waving at them. "Billy, over here!"

"This is Jeffery Carlyle, a sports journalist," said Billy, gesturing towards the man. "He's also the one who had taken over the reporting of the sports magazines for middle schools in America and will also be covering the US Open."

"Hi, call me Jeff," said the man with a friendly smile before shaking hands with Rika and Kevin. "It's a pleasure to meet the girl who is the youngest ever to participate in the US Open."

"Jeff is also a correspondent of Monthly Pro Tennis in Japan," explained Terri.

"Monthly Pro Tennis?" Both Kevin and Rika blinked simultaneously. "Then that means…"

"Yup," said Jeff. "Mr Inoue has told me all about you two."

"I see…"

"Even that you're Samurai Nanjirou's kid."

"What are you doing?!"

That loud cry caused all six present to turn their heads towards the source of the sound only to see five kids who seemed to be in elementary school arguing with two teens who seemed to be in high school who resembled Momoshiro and Kaidoh of Seigaku so much that it's scary.

Just as the guy resembling Kaidoh bent down to pick up a tennis ball after scaring the kids away, another tennis ball from out of nowhere came flying and smacked the guy on his hand.

"Bingo," said Kevin with a grin – the one who had threw the ball.

"Nice shot, Kevin," said Billy with a grin, his hands clasped behind his head.

"What do you think you're doing?!" One of the two teens yelled.

"You guys, stop it," said Jeff only to have the two brushed him aside rudely.

"Hey, do you want to start a fight?" The brown-haired Kaidoh look-alike demanded.

"Just get out of here," said Kevin with a smug expression. "You're an eyesore."

"What did you say?"

"Wait, Rick," said the blonde-haired Momoshiro look-alike. "Don't get so strung up over a brat. Let's settle this with the way we settle things." And he held up a tennis racquet.

Tom, Terri and Billy stifled their chuckles. Apparently, the two idiots in front of them do not have any idea who Kevin and Rika are, otherwise, they wouldn't be foolish enough to ask for a tennis match with two of America's strongest players.

"A tennis match, you say?" said Rika with a smirk. "It's fine by me. Doubles or singles, it's fine with me."

"Wait a moment, you two," said Jeff. "I'll suggest not playing a match against them."

"Shut up!"

"Oh well, I tried," sighed Jeff as the four made their way to the courts and the remaining three sat on the benches in the court. "At least I warned you guys."

**

* * *

**"It's been a while since we've played doubles, haven't we?" said Rika who was getting ready to serve. "Let's see if our bodies still have the knack for it."

"It's fine by me," said Kevin with a grin, turning his head partially to look at Rika. "Any formations?"

"Not needed against those two," said Rika with a grin before bouncing the tennis ball on the court and looking at the Rod-Rick pair. "You know, I know some people who looked like you, but they're way nicer."

"Stop talking nonsense, and hurry up and serve!" snapped Rick.

Rika grinned inwardly as she held the ball in her left hand. So they wanted a game, is it? Then she shall give them one. In the usual way, she never liked to use tennis to hurt people, but she shall give these guys an exception, especially with the way they were picking on those kids earlier.

Rika threw the ball up in the air before serving, and the ball entered the courts before either one of her opponents could blink. The ball spun furiously on the spot in the court before bouncing upwards and smacking Rick in the face, causing him to fall behind on his bottom.

"15-0," called Jeff who was acting as referee.

"Having trouble returning it?" taunted Rika.

"Damn you," growled Rick, getting to his feet.

"Hey Rika, leave some for me to play as well," said Kevin and Rika smirked.

"Very well then," said Rika before serving a normal serve this time around.

Rick returned that easy ball with no trouble at all, sending it as a lob, and Kevin leapt up into the air, a mischievous grin on his face. "I can't let Rika have all the fun," he said. "This time, it's my turn!" And he smashed the ball which hit directly into Rick's stomach area, causing tears to form from his eyes.

And so, as the game continues, Kevin and Rika were showing everyone present (not that the ones whom they were playing against were aware of this fact), just why they were known as St. Andrew's best doubles pair, and why they were some of America's strongest players.

Normally, neither Rika nor Kevin liked using tennis to hurt their opponents, but they'll make an exception this time around for the Rod-Rick pair.

"Game, Rika and Kevin."

"They did it on purpose," growled Rick.

"Rick, they aren't ordinary brats," said his friend.

**

* * *

**"Game, Rika and Kevin. 3-0."

"Oi Rika, leave some for me as well," complained Kevin.

"I'll let you take the next game then," said Rika, tapping the frame of her tennis racquet on her shoulder.

"You brats, you're way too full of yourselves," growled Rod, and imaginary flames formed in the background behind him.

"Looks like you brats have made us really mad!"

"I'll send you both to hell!"

"W-What the?" blinked Kevin in both confusion and amusement at the imaginary flames that had came out of nowhere behind their two opponents.

"They look right out of a Marvel comic," muttered Rika, recalling the Marvel comics that Kevin collected ever since he was a kid, and she had read a few of them herself as Kevin had brought his collection with him over to Japan.

**

* * *

**And so the game continued.

But the Rod-Rick pair are still getting outclassed by the two teens that are their opponents. And even with their fury fuelling their play, they are still getting thrashed, not even managing to get one point past the pair.

"Game, Rika and Kevin. 5-0."

The Rod-Rick pair were now panting heavily and both looked as if they had just jumped straight into a swimming pool whilst Rika and Kevin looked as if they have hardly broken a sweat. Tom, Terri and Billy who were watching the game were highly amused as they knew the outcome of the game, if one can even call it that, even before they had started.

'_As I thought, the difference in skills is too obvious,' _thought Jeff who was still acting as referee. _'The match is over.'_

"It's finally match point," said Terri who was holding a stopwatch in her hand. "And it's been barely five minutes."

Trying to return Kevin's short cross, Rod accidentally hit a lob towards Rika's side of the court, and the girl grinned before leaping into the air. Terri smirked as she noticed the look in Rika's eyes. "It's coming," she said. "Rika's trademark smash."

Billy and Tom grinned.

"…Cyclone Smash."

The speed and power of the smash had improved tenfold as the ball went right through the wire netting of Rod's tennis racquet after spinning furiously on the ground with little to no effort at all, and the Rod-Rick pair went quite pale as they studied the hole in Rod's tennis racquet.

"G-Game, Rika and Kevin."

"Nice one, Rika," said Kevin with a grin. "The speed and power of that smash has improved, though it's still not all your power, right?"

Rika snorted. "Of course," she said. "I used barely twenty percent of my power in that smash."

The faces of Rod and Rick paled even further when they heard that. Only twenty percent?! They do not want to know what kind of smash that Cyclone Smash is at full power at one hundred percent. They're not sure if they'll survive to tell the tale.

"…hey, Rick," said Rod, finding his voice at last. "If we had received that ball directly, can you imagine what'd have happened to us?"

"I don't want to think about it," gulped Rick.

In the midst of Rika and Kevin's conversation about something that lead about smashes, then serves, then ending up with ice-cream of all things, both teens looked up to see that Rod and Rick have ended up at the back of the courts and both blinked.

"Huh?"

"Excuse us!" said Rod and Rick in unison before somehow disappearing in thin air.

Silence.

"Did we go too far?" wondered Kevin.

"I think it's fine," said Rika with a shrug.

There were loud claps and cheers just then and both players turned to see the group of children whom Rod and Rick were picking on earlier standing outside the courts, clapping and cheering for their new 'heroes'.

"Okay then," said Kevin with a smile.

"That's right."

"Way to go, you two!" said Jeff, laughing.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The sun was setting when Jeff, along with Tom, Terri and Billy walked with Kevin and Rika back to their hotel. They had just been to see the stadium where the US Open will be held that year, and where Rika will be competing against the world's top 128 players.

Tom, Terri and Billy had also filled both their former captains in on what had happened so far in St. Andrews. Some of the former players who were with the team during Rika's reign as captain had returned after hearing that Baker was no longer the coach, and after what had transpired in Japan during the All-American Goodwill Games. Billy was working on the training regime with Tom and Terri's help – the three who were the veteran players during Rika's reign as captain. Slowly but surely, St. Andrew's tennis team is getting back on their feet.

"So it's here that we must part," said Terri as they stopped outside the hotel. "Good luck tomorrow, Rika. We'll be there to cheer you on."

"Thanks," said Rika with a nod. "Don't worry, I won't lose."

"Do you still remember what the vice-captain used to say in the past?" asked Billy with a grin. "'If you have dreams, embrace it'. We believe in you, Rika."

Rika smiled and nodded. "Thanks."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

'_Seiichi,_

_How are you doing? I'm back in New York with Kevin, and we're getting re-acquainted with America once more. Even though I have merely left America less than a year ago, it felt like an eternity as America seemed almost like a strange country to me now._

_I met up with Tom, Terri and Billy again today when Kevin and I decided to go and get some training done for the US Open which opens tomorrow. But then, we ran into two high schoolers who resembled Momoshiro Takeshi and Kaidoh Kaoru of Seigaku a lot. I swear, they could almost pass off as their twin brothers or something, save for the hair and eye colouring!_

_The US Open this year is an inter-gender tournament, and don't worry about me, I won't lose here that easily. As for the others back home, how are they doing? I hope that you've been preparing well for the Nationals._

_If all things go as planned, I should be able to make it back in time to join with you guys at the start of the tournament. I've got to go. I'll email you again soon._

_Rika.'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Next Morning:_

In the participators' waiting room, Rika was sitting in a bench in a corner, playing with a tennis ball by throwing it up and down. The door to the waiting room opened just then, and one of the umpires walked in, holding a clipboard under one arm.

"Rika Echizen," said the umpire, causing all eyes to turn to the youngest player in their midst. "Come on."

"Okay," muttered Rika, picking up her tennis racquet and following the umpire out of the room, and to the passageway which leads to the tennis courts which will be viewed by hundreds of spectators –all which had arrived to watch the US Open's preliminaries before the real game starts.

"Do your best," said the umpire before Rika nodded and walked out to the courts only to be greeted by loud cheers and claps.

Tom, Terri, Billy as well as Kevin and Jeff were all seated in seats in the first row of the stadium – courtesy of Steve Meyers who was seated two seats behind them – the man was interested to see how his Wild Card will fare in the matches. "Alright, this is it," said Terri, looking on as Rika walked towards the net where her opponent – a hazel brown-haired young man several years Rika's senior stood waiting. "The start of Rika's first match."

Back on the courts, Rika grasped her opponent's hand in a handshake before they both tossed for sides and headed to their positions on the courts, Rika having gotten first service.

'_Rika, embrace your dreams.'_

Rika gripped tightly on the ball in her hand. _'I will, Yuki,' _she thought to herself. _'Dad, niisan… Here I go.'_


	27. The Start of the National Tournament!

Sorry for the wait, people! I have a spot of writer's block for this story, but now, my ideas are flowing once more. Anyway, this will be the Nationals arc, and a little of Rika's past with Krauser will be showing up in a few chapters.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but I do own the original moves' names

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Seven: The Start of the National Tournament**

_Rikkaidai Fuzoku:_

"Everyone's practicing hard…" whistled Niou as he took a drink from his bottle.

"It will be the start of the Nationals tomorrow," said Yagyuu, pushing his glasses up his nose. "They're all getting pumped. There'll be many good schools in the Nationals tomorrow…not like the usual opponents that we usually faced."

"And speaking of which…" said Niou, turning towards Marui. "Any word from Rika yet? She should be back soon, right?"

"I have no idea," said Marui, shrugging. "I hadn't received any word from her for the past week. I guess that she's busy. She might miss the first match or something though."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Tokyo Prefecture Area Tennis Court; start of Nationals:_

"_I now announce the start of the Nationals. All players, please enter."_

Kirihara whistled as he looked around at all the schools present. "Seigaku, Fudomine…even Hyotei is here too!"

"So are Yamabuki and Rokkaku."

"It's finally starting," said Yukimura and Sanada nodded, looking over at Seigaku where Tezuka was standing at the head of the team, recalling what had happened a week ago during the combination drawing…

**

* * *

**_A week ago:_

"Rikkaidai Fuzoku sure has gotten sloppy this year. Fancy having a _girl _in their team."

"And to think that they won last year's National tournament too. They sure got weak."

Both the speakers started laughing, not realising the danger that is a certain Rikkaidai vice-captain standing right behind them.

"Aichi's Murigaoka." The laughing stopped instantly, and both turned only to see the stern face of Sanada Genichirou, much to their horror. "Say those things directly to the people you're talking about. And I would like to see how our female player deals with you if she's here."

"S-Sanada…" muttered one of the two speakers weakly.

"Sanada, are you really a middle school student?" said a voice, and Sanada turned sharply towards the voice only to see that the speaker is one of the two representatives from the Kyushu district of Japan.

"Stop it, Kai-kun," said a dark haired teen who seemed to be the captain, sitting beside the speaker. "Or I will make you eat gouya."

"Oh really?"

Sanada frowned inwardly before heading back towards his own seat, thinking deeply about what Yanagi had filled him in on the day before, regarding their possible opponents in the National tournament.

'_Kite Eishirou__… It seems Okinawa won the Kyushu district this year.'_

Sanada then blinked as he was so lost in his thoughts that he wasn't even aware of what is going on around him until he heard an extremely _familiar _voice coming from the entrance of the room that they were in.

"Would you allow me to draw for our school, Oishi?"

Sanada turned in his seat, along with nearly everyone in the room to see none other than the captain of Seigaku, Tezuka Kunimitsu standing at the door, already dressed in his Seigaku regular tennis jersey.

"Tezuka!"

Tezuka didn't say a word, but continued down the aisle towards where the authorities were waiting with a box for the representatives from each school to draw lots for their individual opponents in the National tournament.

"Didn't he go to Germany because of an injury?" asked some random player.

"I heard that he came back in perfect shape," answered his neighbour.

There was a snort from the front, and everyone turned to see a particular arrogant looking player from one of the schools in the Tokyo district. "Tezuka Kunimitsu is nothing special. When he sees my super tennis—"

"I would advise you to stop, Kadowaki," said Atobe who was sitting behind the guy, his chin resting on his palm. "You wouldn't even last fifteen minutes. Right, Kabaji?"

Kabaji, ever the loyal person, grunted his usual, "Usu."

"So that's Seigaku's captain, Tezuka-san," said Rokkaku's freshman captain, Aoi Kentarou, with stars for eyes as he gazed at Tezuka with admiration. "He's impressive!"

"Yeah," agreed Saeki from beside him as Tezuka reached where the authorities were waiting with the drawing box. "Even the pros have their eyes on him."

"Tezuka-kun has a stronger aura around him, compared to last year," remarked a hazel-brown haired senior with bandages around one arm. "Seigaku might do well this year."

'_So Tezuka is back__…' _thought Sanada before he smirked. _'This will be interesting…'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Narita Airport:_

Kevin Smith grunted as he heaved his duffel bag onto his shoulder, his tennis bag on his back as usual, wiping his blonde hair out of his eyes. He then looked towards his neighbour who was tying her hair up into a high ponytail because of the blistering hot summer weather in Japan, her red and white duffel bag on the floor by her feet, her tennis bag slung across her shoulders, resting on her back like Kevin.

Both teens were dressed in polo T-shirts and pants, along with tennis shoes, though Kevin's shirt was in dark green and white whilst his neighbour's was in blue and white.

"It's hot…" panted Kevin. "What wouldn't I give for an ice-cream right about now?"

Echizen Rika chuckled. "Come on, Kevin," she said. "We'll have time for that later." She looked at her watch before looking at Kevin. "Let's head to the arena tennis court now. I'll love to see their faces once we turn up."

Kevin chuckled. "Makes me wish that I have my camera here," he said and Rika chuckled.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Arena tennis court; Seigaku's side:_

"It's finally starting…the National tournament," said Fuji Syusuke with his ever eternal smile.

"I'm getting fired up," said Momoshiro with a grin.

His neighbour and rival, Kaidoh snorted from his place beside Momoshiro. "Damn, we're not at the zoo, don't be so loud."

"W-What did you say?!"

"You want to fight?!"

A full blown fight would have escalated by then had it not been for the timely arrival of one Kikumaru Eiji who separated the two arguing sophomores. "Okay, okay, stop arguing, you two," said Eiji hastily. "Even though we don't have a match today, you sure are tense."

"No," said Inui, and everyone turned towards him. "We have a lot to do. In the first games, there are the insidious players from Rokkaku, and Higa, who won the Kyushu District Tournament. Fudomine, being led by Tachibana is back in full force. Then you have Hyotei Gakuen who are looking to avenge their loss. These schools will play games in the early stage. Besides, Aichi district's Murigaoka—" Kaidoh growled low below his breath at this point, unnoticed by everyone. "—and Hokkaido's Tsubakikawa are powerful teams. Gathering every player's data from those games will be…" Inui trailed off, holding up his notebook and Momoshiro gawked.

"_Every _player's data?" Momoshiro muttered in disbelief.

"A-As expected from Inui…" said Kikumaru, sweat dropping.

"Anyway, we should watch Rokkaku's match carefully," said Inui, turning back towards the tennis courts where the authorities were cleaning up the courts to prepare for the next match between Rokkaku and Higa. "They'll probably be our opponents if everything goes smoothly."

**

* * *

**"_The first game will now begin. Chiba's representative, Rokkaku Middle School, versus Okinawa's representative, Higa Middle School. Beginning with singles three, Rokkaku's Middle School: Aoi. Higa Middle School: Chinen."_

"Huh?" Momoshiro blinked, having not heard this piece of crucial information earlier during the opening ceremony when the person overseeing the National Tournament for the middle schools was giving out his extremely _long _speech. "Why are they starting with singles?"

"Weren't you listening earlier?" grumbled Kaidoh in exasperation. "This time, as a special rule, they said that they would change the playing order of singles and doubles."

"Now that you mention it…" Momoshiro muttered, recalling bits and pieces of the speech that _had _sunk into his brain during the opening ceremony. "They did say something like that."

"Also, despite it being a team game, there's also a special rule which states that all five matches must be played," added Shinderui Shiki, sipping from a can of grape Ponta which he had gotten from a vending machine earlier.

"This also means that just by watching the first game, we can determine the team's strength to a certain degree," added Inui, giving his input.

All of Seigaku watched as Rokkaku's freshman captain walked towards the net where his opponent – a tall dark-haired boy with his fringe being bleached white stood waiting – his racquet under one arm.

"Nice to meet you," said Aoi with a friendly smile, putting his hand out for a handshake, but his opponent didn't take it, but was looking around. Aoi frowned. "Huh?" He then tried again, his voice louder than before. "I'm right here. Let's have a good game."

Aoi's opponent, Chinen, finally looked at him. "You're down there?" he said snidely before turning around. "You're so short that I didn't even notice you."

Over with Seigaku, Shiki felt for Aoi as he himself was also the shortest of his entire team. And Chinen was also at least two heads taller than Aoi, practically towering over him.

"_Rokkaku Middle School versus Higa Middle School. Singles three," _announced the referee. _"One set match. Rokkaku's Aoi to serve."_

Aoi was growling low in his throat as he served the ball which Chinen received with no problem, returning it to Aoi's court almost immediately, earning himself a point.

"15-0!"

"Scary!" whined Kikumaru. "He sure is intense."

"Yeah," agreed Kawamura. "It's hard to beat that much power."

**

* * *

**"30-0!"

"Chinen-kun seems to be in pretty good shape," remarked Kite.

"Or maybe his freshman opponent is simply weak," suggested Kai.

Itsuki Marehiko huffed in anger. "Those guys won't shut up, will they?" he growled.

"Just let them say what they want, I-chan," said Kurobane who was standing beside him, before turning his attention back towards the courts. "More importantly, it's coming. Kentarou's tennis."

**

* * *

**Chinen gaped as the tennis ball hit the top of the net before falling slowly towards the court, and Aoi grinned triumphantly to himself.

"You'll regret it if you judge people by their appearances," said Aoi triumphantly.

"That is my line," said Chinen snidely, as much to Aoi and the rest of Rokkaku's shock, he was already at the net, returning the ball to Aoi's court.

"What was that?" gasped Momoshiro. "His movement just now…"

Shiki frowned. He was _very sure _that his eyes were not playing tricks on him. _'He moved from the baseline to the net in a split second__…' _he mused to himself.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Highway to arena tennis court:_

"Think we can make it in time?" asked Kevin as he was looking out of the window in the backseat of the taxi that they were in before turning towards Rika who was sitting beside him, flipping through a copy of Monthly Pro Tennis that she had gotten from the newspaper stand at the airport earlier.

"We might miss Rikkaidai's first match," said Rika, looking at her watch before turning towards Kevin. "But we might make it in time to the tennis courts before the end of today's matches."

At the mention of the word 'tennis', the taxi driver looked in the rear view mirror to look at his two passengers. "Do the two of you…play tennis?" he asked.

"Yes," said Rika with a nod, turning back towards her magazine.

"I heard a Japanese middle school student did well in the US Open," mused the taxi driver, recalling what he had heard on the radio and on the news the past few months. "You should work hard too." He smiled.

Kevin and Rika exchanged amused looks with each other before turning back towards the front. "Yeah."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Aoi was sweating and panting heavily as he hit the tennis ball towards the net again, watching as the ball fall slowly towards the ground as if in slow motion, only to have his eyes widening in horror again as his opponent was already at the net.

"Again?!" growled Kurobane and Itsuki gaped in horror.

"_Game and match! Higa's Chinen! 6-0!"_

The Seigaku players were staring on in shock, even Ryoga who had made his appearance sometime back, along with Rikkaidai's Marui and Niou who had finished their matches a little less than a minute ago and were interested to see how Rokkaku fares against Higa since even Rikkaidai had heard about how they had did in the Okinawa district tournament.

"Ryoga-san," said Shiki slowly, not taking his eyes off the dejected form of Aoi Kentarou slumped over his knees on the courts. "The Okinawa guys…what are they?"

Ryoga didn't answer since even _he_ was shocked at the amount of skill that Higa has. Shiki had played against Aoi Kentarou in the semi-finals of the Kantou tournament, and even _he_ had a hard time against the freshman captain. And to see the Higa player thrashing Aoi this badly at 6-0…even Shiki will be a little concerned.

Marui and Niou exchanged looks, recalling the conversation that their team had earlier that day when Yanagi was going over all the schools that they'll most likely face in the National tournament, and Higa was one of them…

**

* * *

**_Flashback:_

"Okinawan martial arts?" echoed Marui.

"That's right," agreed Yanagi with his arms crossed over his chest. "You can call Higa this year's dark horse."

"This year, they beat Shishigaku, and won the Kyushu district," added Yagyuu. "Seigaku's next opponent will most likely be…"

"Higa Middle School," finished Sanada, an extremely dark look on his face as he spoke.

"Then what do they have to do with Okinawan martial arts?" asked Kirihara in confusion whilst leaning against the fence.

"Basically, by incorporating Okinawan martial arts in their tennis, they will come at you with totally unexpected movements," explained Yanagi. "No…rather than incorporating, the guy named Kite Eishirou has been gathering kids talented in martial arts since he was young." Yanagi paused. "That's right, they can move from the service line to the net in a split second…"

_Flashback ends:_

**

* * *

**Niou and Marui exchanged looks as they looked back at the Rokkaku versus Higa match which is now at singles one – the final match. It was Rokkaku's Saeki versus Higa's Kai. And Saeki, the supposedly strongest of the Rokkaku team wasn't fairing well against Kai, though he was the only one who managed to get at least three games against his opponent.

His game count was now at 4-3, with Higa in the lead. But compared to Rokkaku's other matches which is nearly all at 6-0, with only the doubles one match at 6-1, it was fairly impressive.

"Seems like Yanagi wasn't wrong about Higa," remarked Marui and Niou nodded. "Okinawan martial arts, huh? Seems like only players like you and Rika – players with impressive observation ability – can play on even footing against them as you'll be able to predict where they'll move next."

"30-0!"

"Unbelievable," muttered Kawamura, his eyes wide in disbelief as he watched the match between Saeki and Kai. "Rokkaku can't even get one match."

**

* * *

**Saeki was panting as he returned Kai's shot.

'_Before I realised it, he's already at the net. Why?! Why are they able to move so fast?'_

"The Shukuchi method," said Oji solemnly from Rokkaku's bench coach seat. "With Okinawan martial arts, there is a way to sneak in without the opponent noticing. In the moment when the opponent isn't looking, since the position of their head isn't changing, it creates the illusion that they approach the net in a split second."

Saeki grinned triumphantly, sending a grateful look towards his coach, finally figuring out Higa's secret. "Oji."

Kai scowled fiercely at the Rokkaku's coach before he received the ball once more, but instead of returning it towards Saeki, he aimed it towards where the rest of Rokkaku, along with the Rokkaku's coach were.

Rokkaku's regulars gaped in shock as they saw the ball coming, but they couldn't make it in time to save their coach from the ball, and even Saeki gasped in shock.

"OJI!"

Oji looked towards where his players were looking only to see a fast yellow tennis ball whizzing towards his way, and his eyes opened for the first time until there was a yelp of pain, but it wasn't from Rokkaku's coach, but rather, from Saeki's opponent himself.

Kai was cradling his cheek where there was a bloodied scratch where the tennis ball had whizzed past his face so quickly that it created quite an injury there.

Blinking, everyone present at the courts – even the Seigaku team and the two Rikkaidai players – turned to see a certain dark-haired girl with green highlights in her hair standing in front of Rokkaku's coach, a red tennis racquet in her right hand, breathing heavily and glaring a venomous glare at Kai who whimpered under that glare. If looks could kill, he'll be dead a hundred times over with the girl's Medusa glare.

Marui and Niou, along with the Seigaku team gasped as they recognised that girl…

"It couldn't be…" muttered Marui, his eyes wide.

"Is this…your tennis?" asked Echizen Rika coldly, her heart thumping a hundred miles per minute, having ran the fastest that she could towards Rokkaku's coach when she had detected what Kai had wanted to do to the old man.

"Rika-san?" Shiki blinked rapidly, not believing his eyes.

"Rika…?" muttered Niou weakly. He then blinked. "Wait, if she's here, then that means…"

Sounds of heavy panting behind the two Rikkaidai players caused them to turn around to see a heavily panting Kevin Smith behind them. "Kevin?"

"Yo," said the blonde weakly, waving at them with one hand. "Long time no see."

Marui grinned. "When did you both return?" he asked.

"We just got off the plane a few hours ago," answered Kevin with a grin. "Rika wanted to give you guys a surprise, that's why she didn't tell you when she'll be returning to Japan. But the moment we arrived at the arena tennis courts, the authorities told us that Rikkaidai had finished their matches, and we decided to see Rokkaku's match as theirs is the last one being held for the day, and Rika suddenly took off from beside me."

"I see…" muttered Niou, putting together the pieces. "She knew what that Higa player planned to do. Her speed had increased drastically. She's easily the fastest in our team _before _she had left for America, but even _I _didn't see that she had appeared by Rokkaku until the tennis ball had smashed in the face of that Kai guy."

Marui sweat dropped. "Ano…she didn't really 'smash his face in'," he muttered and Kevin snorted in laughter.

An argument was starting to take place on the courts as Kai started to stride his way towards Rika only to have Saeki blocking his way, with the silver-haired teen shooting Rika a grateful look which she returned with a nod, but not before she said, "The secret lies in the right foot", much to Saeki's bewilderment before he caught onto what Rika was trying to tell him, and the rest of Rokkaku's extreme confusion.

The Rikkaidai girl then walked towards where Kevin and her two teammates stood waiting, tapping her tennis racquet on her shoulder all the while, with Aoi and the rest of Rokkaku thanking her over and over again.

"Where do you think you're going?" demanded Saeki, blocking Kai's march towards Rika. "Besides, it's not very gentlemanly to raise a hand or a finger against a girl, is it?"

"What's with you? Are you still here?"

"The match isn't over yet," said Saeki stubbornly. "Besides, thanks to Rika-san and Oji, I've finally figured out your secret. And there is something that I want to try."

Rika who had one hand on the gate leading to the tennis court where the tennis teams of Rokkaku and Higa were, scowled, glaring at the normal tennis players of Higa Middle School as they taunted Saeki, and the regulars of Rokkaku were twitching dangerously, trying to restrain themselves from attacking Higa directly after that underhanded method of attacking Oji had Rika not thwarted that attempt.

The gate that Rika was holding onto swung opened just then, and the freshman girl blinked before looking up to see that Seigaku's regulars were filing in, and she headed past them to where her friends and her brother stood waiting.

"Who are you guys?" demanded some random Higa player as Seigaku's regulars entered the courts.

"The Rokkaku cheering team arrives," said Momoshiro with a cheeky grin.

"S-Seigaku…"

"You didn't even say a word about returning today," said Ryoga from outside the courts, one hand ruffling his younger sister's hair who smiled sheepishly back at him. "You're always so impulsive."

Rika smiled back at him. "I wanted to give everyone a surprise," she said.

Marui sighed. "I think you'll most likely give 'Mura a heart attack instead once he learns that you're here," he said and Niou snorted in laughter.

Ryoga sighed. "Well, you definitely did surprise us," he muttered and everyone laughed.

"Saeki, do your best!" Kikumaru cheered from inside the courts.

"You can't lose to such a dirty bunch." Momoshiro added.

"What are you guys?" yelled some indignant Higa player. "Just because you're both from the Kantou region, you came to cheer for your friend, Rokkaku. You have some guts."

Kaidoh turned on his 'scary snake face', scaring the Higa players shitless who promptly shut up, in fear for their own lives.

Fuji chuckled before turning back towards Saeki. "There aren't as many of us, but I think we're still reassuring," he said, as most of Rokkaku, in fear for their own coach's safety had taken him away, and not to mention that majority of them wanted him checked over, just in case.

"You guys…" said Saeki, touched by Seigaku's thoughtful gesture before turning back towards his opponent who was preparing to serve. _'If it's as Oji said, then they don't appear in front of the net in a split second. They merely create an illusion. And judging by Rika-san's words, I can safely assume that he'll only utilize the Shukuchi method by using his right foot. I'll be able to counter attack if I can see him coming!'_

Kai was beginning to serve, and Saeki kept a sharp eye on Kai as he saw, almost in slow motion, that Kai's right foot was beginning to move towards the net before he returned the ball to the baseline, and Kai had a shocked expression on his face as he rushed to return the ball.

Saeki persistently kept up the game by hitting his shots to the baseline, preventing Kai from heading to the net. Kai was growling inwardly as he glared at his opponent.

'_That guy, is he planning on not letting me come in from the service line?' _thought Kai.

Everyone was watching the match intently, even for the four Rikkaidai players and Ryoga who were outside the courts. The match drew on as Saeki managed to gain another game against Kai, making the game count 4-4, until Kai managed to gain another game against Saeki, making it his match game.

"Get in!" grunted Kai, grasping his racquet with both hands and returning the shot to Saeki's court, earning him a point.

"_Game and match! Higa's Kai! 6-4!"_

"I'm sorry…" Saeki apologised profusely to Seigaku. "You came to cheer for Rokkaku after all, but…"

"It doesn't matter." Fuji assured him. "More importantly, go and see Oji."

Saeki sighed. "Thanks," he said before rushing out of the courts, but not before shooting Rika a grateful look.

"You talk big, but you're so weak!" taunted some random Higa player, and the others laughed.

Rika narrowed her eyes dangerously, balling her hands into fists. "Ne, niisan," she said, not taking her eyes off Higa Middle School. "Seigaku's next opponent is Higa Middle School, right?"

"Yeah," said Ryoga, glaring at Higa Middle School as well. "Why?"

"Thrash them for me," said Rika, nearly growling. "I don't care how you do it."

"I'm planning to," said Ryoga darkly.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"You gave us the shock of our lives, Rika," said Kirihara with a sigh later that day as they stood around the announcement board in the arena tennis courts. "Why didn't you let us know that you're coming?"

Rika grinned sheepishly, scratching her cheek idly with one finger. "Well…I wanted to surprise you," she said.

"But it's a good thing that Rika happened to be at Rokkaku's match," said Yukimura darkly, having heard about what had happened in the match from Niou and Marui, and everyone nodded. "Otherwise, Rokkaku's coach would probably be injured or worse."

Marui growled. "What wouldn't I give to thrash Higa myself?!" he muttered. "But I guess Seigaku doing it wouldn't be so bad as well. They're good too. And seeing as how we do not have a match scheduled tomorrow, we can see Seigaku's match against Higa."

"Alright, back to the topic on hand," said Yukimura, clearing his throat and getting the attention from all his regulars. "Seeing as how Rika is back from America at last, we can include her in our matches, though we'll have to change our line-ups a little."

Yanagi nodded slowly. "Having gone through the US Open, this experience will be a valuable asset to the team," he said reasonably. "And speaking of which…" He turned towards Rika and Kevin both, along with the rest of the team. "How did it go?"

Rika smiled secretly at them and Kevin grinned from behind her, giving a thumbs-up to the team. "What do you think?"

"YOU WON?!"

The Rikkaidai regular team couldn't be prouder of their freshman player.


	28. A Trip Down Memory Lane

**Chapter Twenty Eight: A Trip Down Memory Lane**

The next morning, Rikkaidai's tennis team were down at the courts nice and early where the Nationals were to be held. In fact, not a single soul was there when Rikkaidai arrived, hoping to get in some practice done before they went to watch Seigaku's match against Higa.

"Looking good, Rika!" said Yagyuu, impressed, as he served another fast ball to Rika. The freshman had grown stronger and faster than before, and the Gentleman didn't doubt that there's not a person out there who can match up to her speed now.

"Isn't it about time for Higa's match with Seigaku now?" asked Kevin who was seated on the sidelines, watching the practice going on right now with the rest of the team members. Yukimura who was seated next to him glanced at his watch and nodded.

"Yeah. But let's give them another five minutes," said the Rikkaidai's captain.

Kevin blinked just then before turning towards the side, looking upwards to the outside of the courts, staring. Yukimura noticed this gesture, and turned towards the blonde.

"What's wrong, Kevin?" he asked before he paused in mid-sentence, noticing that Higa's tennis team were currently walking past the tennis courts that they were in.

Everyone in the team noticed it, but they didn't give any sign that they've noticed Higa's presence, save for the fact that Kirihara and a few others like Niou and Marui tensed up a little. Rika who was practicing with Yagyuu scowled as she saw Higa. Yagyuu who had lobbed a ball to her blinked as the ball whizzed past him so quickly and banged against the fence, being lodged in the diamond-shaped grooves in the fence, knocking one of the Higa players – Kai – off his feet, causing him to land on his butt.

"Sorry, I misaimed!" Rika called out to the gaping Higa players, a glint in her eyes which the rest of her team noticed.

"What did you say—" Kai got to his feet and looked ready to leap into the courts had his captain not stopped him. Grumbling, Higa went on their way, every single one of them walking faster than necessary.

Yagyuu sighed. "Rika…you did that on purpose, didn't you?"

Rika only grinned.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Seigaku's match against Higa granted Seigaku a clean victory with 5-0 – all Seigaku players clinching a victory against their individual opponents.

All of Rikkaidai's regulars were present at this match…along with Hyotei who happened to not have a match scheduled that day as well, and needless to say, this caused a lot of tension at the courts when the people surrounding the courts recognised the tennis jerseys of Kantou's number one team, along with one of Tokyo's best teams.

The first match of singles three was Shinderui Shiki versus the largest player that Higa had – Tainishi Kei. Shiki clinched the game easily against the large Higa player by using his small size and speed to his advantage, and mostly used Drive As and a variation off Atobe's Tannhauser Serve. Atobe muttered something about suing Shiki for copyrights purposes when the referee was announcing the score of 7-6 for the singles three match, with Shiki being the victor.

Doubles two was Kawamura-Fuji pair versus Hirakoba-Chinen pair. The one point of interest is that Fuji showed his fourth counter – Kagerou Zutsumi (Dragonfly Illusion) – hereby clinching the game with a score of 7-5.

Singles two was Kikumaru Eiji versus Kai Yuujirou. That was a first for everyone as one half of the Golden Pair of Seigaku was playing in singles. In fact, halfway into the match, Kikumaru actually played as _doubles _in a singles match, causing the poor referee to faint because of brain overload.

Doubles one was Inui-Kaidoh pair versus Shiranui-Kouichi pair. The match ended with Seigaku the victors…because Higa forfeited when one half of Higa's doubles one fainted because of heat exhaustion.

Singles one…is a captains' showdown. And the victor was the captain of Seigaku…with everyone present at the match seeing for the first time just what Tezuka was capable of when he used the Pinnacle. Yukimura and Sanada were impressed as this was the first time ever since they were freshmen when they saw Tezuka using the Pinnacle.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Three Days Later:_

The sun was slowly sinking down into the horizon when Rika arrived at the seaside not too far away from Kanagawa riding her bike. This was the same beach that Marui had taken her to when she had first attained her regular spot when she wanted to say her final farewells to Yuki.

Rika latched her bike to the bicycle parking spot before she headed to the cliff where she saw that Kevin was already present, squatting down at the edge of the cliff, watching the waves crash against it.

"You're here early," said Rika, blinking, and Kevin turned around to face her with a smile.

"So did you," said Kevin. "I've brought it."

Both friends then sat down on the cliff as Kevin took out a small cake that he'd bought at the nearby confectionary earlier that day, and lit the candles. The sun had set by then, and darkness was falling, the stars coming out.

That day was August 27…the birthday of Yakiwa Yuki…and also her death anniversary.

**

* * *

**_Meanwhile in America:_

It was early morning and dawn was just starting to break.

The birds were chirping as Billy Cassidy, Tom Griffy and Terri Griffy entered the graveyard and made a beeline straight to a fairly elaborate grave where there was the image of twin angels above the gravestone.

For a while, the three stood in silence, eyeing the gravestone. The words engraved on the gravestone were, _'Here lies Yakiwa Yukira, friend to all, sister to some, and beloved daughter of Yakiwa Shuusuke and Yakiwa Marimo. 1994 – 2006.'_

Billy swallowed a lump that suddenly came in his throat, willing himself not to cry. All of St. Andrew's tennis club members always felt like crying whenever they came here. Unlike most schools in America, St. Andrew's tennis team was extremely united, and they were close, like a family.

Yuki was like the pillar that kept the team together. And when she died, everything fell apart.

"_You've never played tennis before?"_

"…_no."_

"_I told you already, Yuki."_

"_I know. Come with me, Billy. First and foremost, you must know how to hold a racquet properly…"_

She was one of the few…the others being Kevin and Rika, who had taught him tennis and turned him into what he is today. He had Stephanie as a girlfriend now, and they're to be engaged once he enters high school. He owed everything that he had today to the three, but…

Tom and Terri eyed the gravestone of their beloved vice-captain. No one had the heart to appoint a new vice-captain as they don't want to feel like they're replacing Yuki. It's alright with the team if they appoint a new captain or co-captains even, but never a vice-captain. In fact, a riot nearly broke out within the team with the veteran members of the tennis team back when Baker tried to appoint a new vice-captain until the coach let it be.

"_I don't care about your past. Rika is a good judge of character, and since she likes you two, I'll give you a chance. St. Andrews isn't like other schools. All we ask is that you put in your own hard work. And in the meantime…welcome to St. Andrews."_

'_Vice-captain…'_

_Beep. Beep._

The three were startled from their thoughts when a message tone sounded from Billy's phone, and he flustered about, reaching for his phone and flipping it opened to see that it's a message from his old friend.

"It's from Rika and Kevin," said Billy, and Terri and Tom peered over his shoulder to see what it says.

'_Send our greetings to Yuki and the rest of the team.'_

Tom smiled sadly. "…I see. They remembered after all."

"…_Rika?"_

"_Captain?"_

"…_I'm not giving into their demands. I'm playing."_

Terri turned towards the gravestone.

"…vice-captain…it's been a year." Terri begun awkwardly, swallowing the lump in her throat, and her eyes looked suspiciously moist. "How time flies. It's been a while, hasn't it? Long time no see. When I think about how things came to when you died in that 'accident', I simply can't stomach it. It affected both the captains as well…to the extent when the captain left America in order to heal." Terri chuckled sadly. "We don't like it…the whole team don't, but we all understood and supported her. There are too many memories here for the captain who is your best friend. The whole team fell apart after your death. Then…about a few months ago, we went to Japan. We saw the captain again for the first time ever since she left America. She looked…happier. We met her boyfriend too. Everything was going right for her…but…"

"And then…we received news from Jasper that Krauser is in Japan…the team captain of that no-brains team…and that the captain might have the chance to face him in the National tournament in Japan. And if she actually does face him…she'll see to it that he don't walk away breathing…or sane at least." Terri paused. "It's been a year since then…since that tournament when everything went wrong…"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_One year ago:_

"_G-Game, St. John's Academy's Weiser. Four games to three."_

_The singles three player of St. Andrew's – Yakiwa Yuki – was on her hands and knees on the courts, clutching an injured ankle which her opponent had hit with the tennis ball on purpose. Over at St. Andrew's bleachers, the players were all on their feet, some on the verge of barging into the court and tearing the members of the other team to pieces._

"_Yuki!" shouted Kevin, half-leaning over the bleachers, seeing Yuki clutching her left ankle in agony._

"_That bastard__…" growled Alexander Greene – Billy's doubles partner, clenching a fist in fury. "That's playing dirty!"_

_St. Andrews had already lost both doubles matches earlier. Terri and Tom would have won their match had their opponents not attacked Terri all the time, resulting in Rika forfeiting the match, despite Terri's protests when she got injured seriously, with a possibility of head trauma._

_Rika who was bench coach eyed her best friend with an unreadable expression, standing up from the bench as well. "Yuki__…" Rika sighed. "That is enough…" _

"_Don't stop the match!" Yuki nearly growled from her place on the court, getting to her feet shakily, her left ankle throbbing, grabbing her racquet from beside her. "Don't stop it, no matter what, Rika."_

"_But—" Kevin begun hesitantly, looking from Rika to Yuki._

_Rika sighed before looking at the referee who was looking at Yuki, an alarmed look in his eyes. "Referee, may we have ten minutes of break-time to tend to our player's injuries?"_

_The referee blinked as he realised that Rika was talking to him, and nodded. "S-Sure. Go ahead."_

"_Thank you," said Rika grimly before walking towards the court and helping Yuki up, the girl testing her ankle gingerly on the ground. "Can you walk?"_

"_Yeah," said Yuki before beginning to hobble back to the bench. Over at the bleachers, Kevin turned towards Billy._

"_Billy, get me the first aid kit!"_

_A few moments later, Yuki was seated on the bench whilst Rika was spraying the coolant spray onto Yuki's injured ankle, her tennis shoe off, and her sock partially rolled down. All St. Andrew's players winced as they saw the black and blue bruise on her ankle._

"_Are you sure that you want to continue?" asked Kevin worriedly, bounding Yuki's foot with a roll of bandage that he had with him. "If you're not careful, that guy might break your ankle next time."_

"_I'm continuing the match," said Yuki stubbornly before putting on her shoe and grabbing her racquet before walking back to the court._

"_Oi…is the vice-captain going to be alright?" asked Terri, worried, pressing a packet of ice to her forehead, trying to ease her headache which is hopefully not the signs of a head concussion. "She's still going to continue playing in this state?"_

"_She has no choice, does she?" said her brother, biting on his lip nervously. "If she forfeits this match, and the singles three match goes to St. John's Academy, they will win the championship. Singles two and singles one are Kevin and Rika. If the vice-captain can win this, we'll be able to have a high chance of clinching the championship."_

**

* * *

**"_Game and match. Game won by St. Andrew's Smith. Six games to two."_

_Kevin grinned triumphantly at his opponent, walking off the courts, whistling all the while, ignoring the heated glares from their opponent's team as his opponent had to be catered off on a stretcher._

"_The next match is singles one. St. John's Academy's Liliaden Krauser versus St. Andrew's Rika Echizen. Both players, please step forth."_

_Krauser smirked at Rika as both captains stepped towards the net. "I suppose that your team has been incredibly lucky so far," he sneered. "It shall come to an end in this match."_

_Rika stared back coldly. "We'll see about that," she said, Krauser missing the look of dislike that flashed briefly in her eyes._

_Ten minutes later, Rika was walking off the courts, with the incredibly shocked referee announcing the score of 6-0._

**

* * *

**"_Rika, watch out!"_

_CRASH!_

"_YUKI!"_

_Rika was by her side in an instant, cradling Yuki in her arms whilst Kevin was dialling 911. She looked up as the screeching of tires sounded only to see the black BMW screeching away. Her eyes narrowed as she recognised the emblem on the license plate._

'That car…'

_Yuki grabbed Rika's hand, and she immediately turned her attention to her friend who was currently dying in her arms. A crowd was starting to gather, and most of them were looking on in horror._

"_Yuki, just hang on! The ambulance is on it's way!" said Kevin urgently, kneeling by Rika and Yuki both._

"_Don't…kid yourselves…" Yuki wheezed, trying to get her words out. "We knew…that…I won't…survive…"_

_Rika shook her head. "Yuki, don't talk! Save your strength!"_

_Yuki smiled gently at Rika and Kevin both, not seeming to care that she's going to die. "It…doesn't matter with me…" she said. "Don't…blame yourselves… The time…that I've spent with you both…is my treasure…" She coughed up some blood. "Live…on…Rika…"_

_And her hand fell limply to her side, much to Rika and Kevin's horror._

"_YUKI!"_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Three days later on a Sunday, the entire Rikkaidai tennis team was training at school as usual, despite it being a Sunday. The school was empty save for the tennis club regulars themselves who were preparing themselves for the Nationals.

Sunday training usually lasted from morning to mid-afternoon, and it's the most strenuous as well. This is also usually why most of the tennis club regulars missed morning lessons on Monday. The school never really said anything about it as long as their grades don't drop.

Half-an-hour before training is dismissed for the day can find Rika washing up at the sinks not too far away from the tennis courts, rinsing her face with water, cooling herself down after playing a fast-paced match against Niou.

Niou is usually one of the most difficult opponents for her in the Rikkaidai team, second only to the Three Demons of Rikkaidai – Yukimura, Sanada and Yanagi. Yanagi, Rika managed to beat before…but it's a close one at 7-6. Whilst Yukimura and Sanada…she's never managed to beat before. Niou had the same ability as her, which is why Rika usually found it difficult to even get one point past him. The two usually had the equal number of wins and losses against each other, and that day is no exception. Their match ended up in a tiebreak of 71-70 until Sanada decided to end their match, since watching their match is enough to make anyone tired.

The Rikkaidai tennis regulars found their female freshman regular extremely quiet for the past few days until Kevin mentioned briefly without Rika within hearing distance that it's her best friend's birthday and death anniversary three days ago. And not to mention the fact that everyone knew that if Rikkaidai wins their next match against Shitenhouji, they'll face Nadoya Academy next…the school where Rika's arch nemesis currently resides in as captain.

Originally, Seigaku was supposed to face Shitenhouji, but the authorities decided to change the line-ups a little for some reason at the start of the Nationals, which resulted in Seigaku facing Aichi's Murigaoka, followed by Hyotei Gakuen.

As such, everyone wisely decided to give Rika some breathing space as she's still boiling in anger over what had happened in America. Yanagi was also currently collecting data on said school and said captain, and no one knew what he had found out thus far.

Rika rinsed her face with the cool tap water before turning it off, listening to the droplets from the tap dripping into the sink, drying her face with her towel atop the tap, leaning over the sink, watching her reflection in the puddles of water currently dripping slowly into the drainage holes of the sink.

'_Krauser__… If I ever faced him again in the Nationals…assuming that his school managed to beat their opponents before facing us…can I even beat him in the first place? That is assuming if he don't use psychological tactics. Yuki's death…is still hung up on me…that is a fact. What should I do?'_

Rika gasped when she felt someone come up behind her, and a pair of hands was pressed on each side of the sink that she's currently at, barricading her in. Rika didn't even need to turn to know that it's her captain aka boyfriend, Yukimura Seiichi, currently standing behind her.

"Kevin told me what happened." Yukimura said in her ear. "He told me the whole story…instead of what little bits that he told the rest of the team and left them to put it together themselves. Marui is probably the only one other than myself whom he told. Rika, listen to me. If your friend is still alive, she wouldn't want you to be like this. Please remember this: it _isn't _your fault that she died. It's that Krauser's fault."

There was silence for a while before Rika answered. "I know," she said so quietly that Yukimura probably wouldn't have heard her if it wasn't for the fact that he's currently right next to her ear. "I know that. Tom, Terri and Billy drilled that enough times into my head after the Junior Senbatsu camp. And Kevin repeated that enough times during the time when we were both in America to participate in the US Open. I've been preparing myself for this for a long time…ever since I heard from Tom, Terri and Billy that Krauser is currently in Japan." She paused. "And I also know that if I don't face him during the Nationals and beat him, I won't be able to move on."

Rika straightened herself up from the sink and felt Yukimura's body pressed up against her, practically wrapping his arms around her. "Our next match is against Shitenhouji," said Yukimura. _"If _Shitenhouji defeats Fudomine in the first place. And if Nadoya Academy beats their next opponent, and we beat Shitenhouji, we'll get to face them. Yanagi is currently collecting data on them as we speak, and we should be able to predict which spot that Krauser fellow will take soon enough."

Rika turned around slowly so that she's now currently facing Yukimura, still being barricaded in by his hands. Yukimura's eyes softened as he combed part of her hair behind her ear, his hand trailing down her jaw to the back of her neck, leaning in closer to her.

"I'm sorry if I sound too harsh," said Yukimura. "And I know that it isn't easy for you to deal with, but if letting you face Krauser might help you get over this, I'll change the line-ups a little once Yanagi gives me the findings of his data on Nadoya. But in exchange, you have to promise me that you won't break down easily if Krauser uses psychological tactics on you during your match."

Rika nodded. "I promise."

Yukimura leaned forward just then, and Rika's eyes widened a little when she felt his lips on hers, his tongue lapping against her lips, demanding entrance. Rika closed her eyes, leaning into the kiss as Yukimura's tongue entered her mouth, savouring her taste.

His kisses grew more urgent as Yukimura slipped one hand into her hair, Rika wrapping her arms around Yukimura's neck. Rika gasped as Yukimura quickened his kisses, strange feelings overwhelming her as his body moved against hers.

"Seii—"

Yukimura muttered something against her lips before plunging his tongue back into her mouth. Without meaning to, Rika moaned against his lips, her body moulding together into his. Yukimura tilted her head up with one finger to make up for their height differences before he roughly pulled her closer, sucking on the tender skin of her throat when…

"OH MY GOD!"

Yukimura and Rika jumped and sprang apart, blinking as they turned towards the source of the noise to see a wide-eyed Kirihara staring at them with goldfish-like eyes, a gaping Sanada, and Yagyuu who stood there staring as if what had been going on a few moments earlier is extremely common.

A light blush was covering Kirihara's face as he placed both hands over his eyes. "Gah! My eyes! I do not need to see that!" he wailed.

"Is there anything that you need, Genichirou?" asked Yukimura politely, one arm wrapped possessively around Rika's waist.

Sanada was still tongue-tied, and so, Yagyuu decided to answer for their currently tongue-tied fukubuchou. "Training's over for the day, Yukimura," he said.

"So it has," said Yukimura, glancing at his watch. "Very well. We'll meet at the courts tomorrow at the same time. Genichirou, can you clean up?"

Without waiting for a reply, the two walked away from the sinks and towards the tennis clubroom. Kirihara was still wailing to the heavens whilst covering his eyes, and Sanada was still left with his mouth gaping open until Yagyuu decided to say as kindly as possible.

"Sanada, you look like a fish."


	29. Shitenhouji versus Rikkaidai

Sorry for the late update! Anyway, for those who were mourning about the close end to this story, rejoice, because my cousin convinced me to continue this story even AFTER the Nationals arc. I'll be continuing Rika's sophomore year in Rikkaidai and how both herself and Kirihara kept the tennis team alive. That means that be prepared for A LOT of OCs to make their appearances. And I have a few ideas for the ending of this story, so I'll put it to the voting:

_College and proposal_

_Marriage_

_Kids_

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Twenty Nine: Shitenhouji versus Rikkaidai**

Match day for Rikkaidai Fuzoku against Shitenhouji Chuu shone bright and clear.

And one Echizen Rika could be found at the vending machines of the tennis arena court where the Nationals are to be held. Rikkaidai had been to watch Seigaku's match against Hyotei the previous day, and much to Hyotei's dismay…they had lost against Seigaku…again.

The final match of singles one was Atobe Keigo against Shinderui Shiki, and Rika, Yukimura, Yanagi and Kirihara were the only ones of the Rikkaidai team to turn up at Hyotei's match against Seigaku, much to the Hyotei regulars' surprise.

"Where's Marui?" asked Atobe.

The Rikkaidai players exchanged amused looks, remembering the pale and terrified look that their volley specialist had on when they announced that they'll be watching Hyotei's match since they're done with their match against some no-name school earlier.

Kirihara snickered. "He's hiding from his fan-boy," he said, jerking a thumb towards said sleeping fan-boy. "He even said that he'll rather commit suicide then come near here."

Atobe blinked as the rest of the Hyotei team tried to stifle their laughter behind their captain. It's of no secret that Akutagawa Jiroh had an unhealthy obsession with Marui Bunta of Rikkaidai to the extent when he even based his tennis off the volley specialist's.

"Oh."

Then singles one…

Rika had to bit on her lower lip and turn away so that no one can see her laughing, though the slight shaking of her shoulders gave her away. Yukimura was smiling as always, whilst Yanagi was calmly scribbling in that notebook of his. Kirihara, on the other hand…wasn't as polite as his teammates. He laughed outright at the ridiculous scene of Shinderui Shiki shaving Atobe Keigo's hair.

Though luckily for the Atobe heir, the Seigaku freshman was kind enough to shave only _half_ of Atobe's hair. Rika had half a suspicion that Shiki did it for her since the two were friends in a way, and every school in the Kantou district that had ever played against Rikkaidai knew that Atobe is Rika's cousin.

Still, Rika could not help her lips from twitching when she approached her cousin as the Hyotei team was packing up dejectedly after their match, not being able to advance further in the Nationals. "Hey Kei," greeted Rika in a surprisingly bright voice. "Nice haircut you have. Pfft! Hahahahaha!!"

Atobe scowled as Kirihara roared into laughter behind Rika, and the rest of his team tried to stifle their laughter behind their captain.

"Will you stop laughing already, Rika?!" snapped Atobe.

"What possesses you to propose such a ridiculous bet in the first place when you knew that you have to shave your hair if you lose?" asked Rika with amusement, staring at her cousin with her hands planted on her hips.

Atobe mumbled something before turning away.

Yukimura had on his ever eternal smile, though his eyes were shining with amusement. "I would have thought that you would have learned by now, Atobe. Shinderui Shiki is extremely unpredictable. In fact, I think that the only person whom he had ever lost to in an official match is Rika."

"Hmph!"

Atobe didn't find it in himself to give an answer.

Yanagi smiled before shutting his notebook with a light clap. "Anyway, we're going for some yakiniku," he said. "Would you like to come?"

Atobe didn't answer, thus, Oshitari took it upon himself to answer. "Sure," said the Hyotei tensai, adjusting his glasses. "Atobe?"

"Hmph."

Rika who somehow managed to interpret her cousin's speech when he somehow decided to imitate some animal who communicate via grunts at this moment, turned to her teammates with an amused smile on her face.

"He means yes," she said.

**

* * *

**But back to the present…

Earlier that morning, one of the first matches held that day was Fudomine Middle High of Tokyo versus Shitenhouji Middle High of Osaka. Marui and Rika happened to be there at their match since both were on reserve during Rikkaidai's match that morning against some no-name school, and decided to watch the match of their next opponent against the school that had played against them during the Kantou tournament's semi-finals.

It was a total defeat for Fudomine, though the one match of interest is the singles two match. Fudomine Middle High's Tachibana Kippei versus Shitenhouji Middle High's Senri Chitose. In other words, the number one and two tennis players of Kyushu region's best team back then were currently facing each other in a match.

Currently, it's noon, and the Rikkaidai team had just finished taking their lunch at the nearby cafeteria of the arena tennis court, and Rika was currently at the vending machine with Kirihara, the two youngest of the tennis team wanting a drink before they faced off against Shitenhouji later on in the afternoon.

"You two over there!" A voice heavily accented with the Osaka accent caused both Kirihara and Rika to turn only to see a redheaded boy wearing Shitenhouji's regular jersey with a tiger-print shirt beneath and black shorts, a bag slung over his shoulder where a tennis racquet was vaguely visible. "Are you from Rikkaidai?"

Kirihara and Rika exchanged confused looks. "You are?"

"I'm Toyama Kintarou!" chirped the boy, walking towards them with his hands placed behind his head. "Nice to meet you!"

'_Toyama Kintarou?' _mused Rika. _'Didn't Yanagi-sempai say something about Shitenhouji having a freshman regular as well?'_

"You're…" Kintarou looked at Rika who was sipping from a can of grape Ponta. "…Koshimae, right?"

Rika nearly spit out her grape Ponta, staring incredulously at Kintarou. Koshimae?! What the hell?! Her name is _Echizen, _for kami-sama's sake! Is his Japanese really that bad?

Kintarou either missed Rika's incredulous look and Kirihara's amused look as he continued on. "You're really strong, right? Want a match with me right now?"

"No way," said Rika before turning on her heel and walking off. "Let's go, sempai."

"Hold on, Koshimae! Have a match with me!"

Rika twitched as she stopped in her spot, ready to deck the annoying boy who simply does not know when to _give up _when another voice heavily accented with the Osaka accent interrupted her thoughts.

"Hold on, Kintarou!"

A boy – a third year, by the looks of things – grabbed Kintarou by the neck of his jacket, stopping him in his tracks. The third year had light brown hair with hazel eyes, and he even had bandages covering his arm…for some reason…

"What the hell?!" whined Kintarou before turning and getting nervous at the sight of the third year whom Rika assumed was the captain of the team. "Oh. Shiraishi."

"What are you doing?" asked Shiraishi with exasperation. "It's almost show time."

"But, look at that!" said Kintarou with excitement, pointing a finger towards Rika. "It's the one that Kenya was talking about! The rumoured female freshman regular of the Kantou region!"

"So it really is," said Shiraishi with amusement at his kouhai's excitement, walking towards Rika and Kirihara. "The one that came back from America…Echizen, right?"

Rika sighed and Kirihara grinned.

"Since I've come all the way to Tokyo, I really want to fight you," said Kintarou, walking towards Rika and standing by his captain's side. "Shiraishi! Can't we do a mock match on an open court somewhere?"

"No."

"I'll do it."

"You can't."

"I will!"

Shiraishi's eyes narrowed dangerously just then, reminding both watching Rikkaidai regulars of Yukimura.

"You leave me with no choice," said the Shitenhouji captain solemnly, pushing back part of his jacket's sleeve on his bandaged arm, causing Kintarou to freeze up in fear.

"What're you gonna do with your hand?" asked Kintarou weakly.

"Do I have a choice? You don't want to listen. Right, Kintarou?"

"Wait, time out!" said Kintarou, waving his arms about frantically. "Not dokushu. I don't want to die yet!" He wailed. "I read in a manga that dokushu is when you alternate between shoving your hand in burnt sand and poison, and that anyone who touches that hand will die after two weeks of painful suffering."

(A/N: The kanji for 'dokushu' is poison hand, but it actually means underhanded or tricky)

The Shitenhouji captain looked on solemnly, but Rika was not fooled as she could see the amusement dancing in Shiraishi's eyes, and that he was barely holding his laughter in.

"Do you want to die, Kin-chan?"

"I don't! I don't!"

"That's right, Kin-chan," said Shiraishi, bounding the bandages back on his hand, much to Kintarou's relief. "Even if you don't play your match now, if you wait, we'll play against Rikkaidai where Koshimae is in."

Rika's eye twitched dangerously. Is her name that difficult to remember?

"Really?!"

"Really."

"Alright! That's what we'll do then!" said Kintarou with excitement before running off, waving to Rika as he did so. "Koshimae, I'll see you later!"

"It seems he created quite a ruckus," said Shiraishi, bounding the bandages on his arm.

"Dokushu?" repeated Kirihara, confused. "What's that?"

Shiraishi smirked. "If I don't make up lies like that one, I can't control the blockhead," he explained. "See you in the match later." He waved to the two, walking away.

Silence.

"They're weird," said Rika, and Kirihara agreed with her.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Two Hours Later:_

"Alright, it's finally time," said Yukimura, the match line-ups form in his hand. "I'll now announce the match line-ups against Shitenhouji." The rest of the team nodded, and Yukimura glanced at the form. "First up is singles three. Sanada, get that win." The vice-captain grunted. "After that is doubles two. Marui and Jackal, I'm counting on you." The doubles pair nodded and Marui grinned, popping a bubblegum. "Then singles two. Niou, you're in singles this time." The Trickster nodded, grinning. "Then doubles one." Yukimura glanced at the match line-ups form before looking up. "If it's alright with you guys, I'll be playing in doubles one with Yanagi."

The rest of the team blinked. "Huh?!"

"Is it because of the coach?" asked Yanagi, flipping through his notebook. "I heard that Senri Chitose dropped out of the tennis team after his match with Tachibana Kippei of Fudomine. But knowing Osamu Watanabe…the coach of Shitenhouji Chuu…he'll most likely put his ace in doubles two, since that's the way he is…especially if he predicted that Shitenhouji will most likely lose the first two matches. In other words, Senri Chitose will most definitely be in doubles ones."

Yukimura nodded. "As always, you read my mind," he said. "You don't mind, do you, Yanagi? Since I doubt that there will be a chance of you actually playing at all."

Yanagi shook his head. "I don't mind," he said. "It gives me the chance to get some good data as well."

The team sighed, and Yukimura chuckled before returning to the announcing of the match line-ups. "Well, back to the business on hand," he said, glancing at the match line-ups form. "Singles one…" He glanced at Rika. "It'll most likely be a super rookie battle, Rika. That freshman is not to be underestimated. He's probably as good as Seigaku's Shinderui."

"I know," said Rika.

Niou frowned. "But we have to play all the matches, right?" he asked, and Yukimura nodded. "Then who will be our most likely opponents?"

Yanagi flipped through his notebook.

"Let's see…"

**

* * *

**_With Shitenhouji:_

"…singles three, Shiraishi. Doubles two, Koharu and Hitouji. Singles two, Gin-san. Doubles one, Kenya and Zaizen-kun. And singles one, Kin—"

"_Wait for me, Koshimae!"_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_We will now commence the match. Kanagawa representatives, Rikkaidai Fuzoku versus Osaka representatives, Shitenhouji Chuu. The first match is singles three. Rikkaidai's Sanada Genichirou versus Shitenhouji's Shiraishi Kuranosuke. Both players, please step forth."_

The remaining players from both schools headed up to the bleachers where they could get a good view of the match, whilst both third year players from Rikkaidai and Shitenhouji respectively stepped up to the net, grasping each other's hands in a brief handshake.

"Shitenhouji's captain…" said Rika slowly, watching the Shitenhouji captain as Yukimura settled down in his place as bench coach. "What's he like?"

The entire team turned towards Yanagi who was watching both Sanada and Shiraishi solemnly. "You can't underestimate him, that's for sure," said the data specialist. "Last year, Shitenhouji suffered a straight loss to Rikkaidai. Because of that, the sophomore who had just became captain didn't get a chance to play in singles one. His opponent back then is Yukimura, thus, both teams didn't get to see their captains' skill. In other words, Shiraishi Kuranosuke's skills are still shrouded in mystery."

Rika who was watching both her vice-captain and Shitenhouji's captain frowned a little as she studied the frowns on both their faces. "Apparently, neither one of them expected to go up against each other as well," she said. "This is a match of uncertainties for them."

"Koshimae!!"

Blinking, all Rikkaidai players…even Shitenhouji and both players on the courts, along with the referee, turned towards the person who had shouted who turned out to be none other than Toyama Kintarou who was shouting at the top of his lungs and waving both his arms like flags at Rika.

"Let's meet in singles one, Koshimae!!!"

Rika twitched dangerously and crushed the can of grape Ponta in her hand, flattening the poor can. Those from the Shitenhouji side winced at Rika's death glare towards their oblivious freshman who had a super low IQ. If looks could kill, Toyama Kintarou will be dead a hundred times over.

"Who does he think he is calling 'Koshimae'?" growled Rika.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Shitenhouji lost to Rikkaidai in singles three with 7-6, though like what Sanada told Yukimura and the rest of the team later after his match, it's a _very _close one as the Shitenhouji captain is nearly as good as Sanada or even Tezuka. Sanada himself only won through sheer luck, and if Lady Luck had been smiling on Shiraishi, he would have won this match.

Then doubles two…Marui Bunta and Jackal Kuwahara versus Koharu Konjiki and Yuuji Hitouji.

"What are the doubles two players like, Yanagi-sempai?" asked Kirihara, turning towards Yanagi who flipped through his notebook.

The data specialist had what seemed like an amused smile on his face before closing his notebook. "Let's just say that they're players with abilities that Marui and Jackal had never faced before. And if they lose concentration, they'll lose."

"Huh?"

Marui and Jackal were currently on the courts, the former blinking in confusion at the empty side of the court opposite them. "The opponents aren't around?" asked Marui in confusion.

"Hi there!"

Marui and Jackal took a few steps backwards by instinct, sweat dropping at the sight of their opponents before them, and if Jackal did not have as much composure as he did, he would have dropped his tennis racquet.

Their opponents both had on what seemed like…wigs on their heads, and both were…dancing?

"We're the Koharu and Hitouji pair!"

"Oi…oi…" Kirihara muttered, his eyes wide in disbelief at this sight.

Yagyuu smirked, pushing his glasses up his nose and Niou snorted in amusement. "Here they are," said the Trickster. "Last year's Comedy Pair."

"'Comedy Pair'?" Rika and Kirihara echoed, looking at Niou.

The Trickster grinned. "Well, Marui and Jackal didn't play in last year's Nationals, so this is their first time facing against those two," said Niou thoughtfully. He then looked at Kirihara and Rika and grinned, motioning towards the court with his chin. "Watch and you'll know."

"What are you two doing?" asked Marui with a frown before a sudden thought struck him, recalling having accidentally picked up Kevin's collection of yaoi manga during team training once, and he blanched, staring at the two before him. "Could it be…g-g-ga…—"

Koharu turned towards Marui, his glasses glinting. "Your observation skills are indeed sharp, kid," he said, and somewhere behind Marui and Jackal, Kirihara was muttering, "Who are you calling a kid when you're not much older than them?"

"Our coach ordered us to never leave each other's side."

"Ever since we became a pair, we had to be together even during our personal time," said Hitouji, and both Marui and Jackal were looking quite sick at all the touching that the doubles pair before them were doing…along with the entire Rikkaidai team behind them in the bleachers.

"We're always together. To the point where we can almost predict each other's next moves. You can say that we have an endless potential for playing doubles."

Rika was looking quite green at this point in time. "I think I'm going to be sick…" she muttered.

From beside her, Kirihara was looking the same. "Me too," he muttered.

Kevin laughed.

"You can say that we're the perfect example of 'one mind, two bodies'! Right, coach?"

"Eh?!" Osamu blinked in confusion from his position as bench coach. "I've said those words before?"

Marui was the first up to serve, and he was twitching as he bounced the ball against the court repeatedly. "What's up with those guys?" he muttered. "Also, it's against the rules to wear a wig, right?"

"The Brazilian bald guy looks like a good guy," cooed Koharu in a way that made Rika paled two shades further, and Jackal to blink in confusion. "Lock on!"

"W-What did you say?!"

"How flirtatious! Do you want me to kill you?!"

"…they're _both _making me sick."

Yagyuu sighed. "So even Jackal can get affected by them," he said. "I won't be surprised if they lose this. Our sempais nearly did last year."

Sanada grunted. "It'd better not come to that," he said.

Several ticks appeared on Marui's head, and he twitched dangerously. "Can you take that afro off?!"

"Please help me take it off," said Koharu, making kissy motions and waggling towards Jackal's direction who took several steps backwards by instinct, "Brazilian-kun."

Marui twitched. "He pisses me off!" he growled before serving a particularly powerful Twist Serve, courtesy of Rika, and the force of the spin was enough to force the afro off, only to reveal…

"_Another _wig?!"

"Is that kind of thing even legal?" muttered Kirihara, looking sicker by the minute.

"The joker always wins."

"How can you talk about our main strategy?!"

Marui was twitching uncontrollably before he got ready to serve. As he threw the ball in the air, he twitched as he saw Koharu disappeared behind Hitouji. _'Pile mirage?!' _He thought in shock, having only seen this formation with Hyotei's Shishido and Ohtori pair during their match against Seigaku that Yanagi had captured on tape.

"Thousand-armed Kannon."

Marui twitched and the ball fell on his head.

"What are you doing, Marui?!" Jackal shouted to the redhead volley player. "Don't get bamboozled by them!"

"…sorry."

**

* * *

**"40-30! Rikkaidai leads!"

"Enough with that!" Marui growled, getting in a stance that Rikkaidai had only seen once.

"Oops. Marui's snapped," said Niou.

"He's going to use Tornado Spin," said Rika before frowning. "But his version is not completed yet."

"Can it be returned?" asked Kirihara.

"Even an uncompleted one is difficult to return. But in Bunta's current state…"

Marui growled as he returned the shot with full force, the ball spinning like a tornado.

"There it is! Tornado Spin!"

"Give me a break. Isn't this the same as a gyro spin?" muttered Koharu. Niou and Rika stiffened as they focused on Koharu. "The spin axis with a 45 degree entry angle, and it's sudden backspin can be attributed to the strength. That means that this shot will have little to no air resistance. This ball is 0.02 percent faster than a straight ball. Distance is 81.3506437492 meters. This is the basis of the Tornado Spin."

Marui's eyes widened in shock.

**

* * *

**"When you first hear it, it just sounds like a bunch of random crap," said Shiraishi. "But Koharu's calculations are more accurate than that of a report." He smirked. "Better than that of Yanagi-kun's. His IQ is 200, which means that he's a genius."

**

* * *

**"15-30!"

Marui panted, wiping the sweat off his brow on his wristband. "He returned my Tornado Spin?!" he muttered in disbelief. "Even if it is uncompleted…"

**

* * *

**"Even if you cannot judge a book by it's cover," muttered Yanagi. "To be able to immediately see the Tornado Spin's gyro spin's scientific data…of date, only Niou and Rika are able to do that, with their observation ability."

"But whether it is scientific or not, it is a rather delicate subject," said Niou, resting his chin on his palm.

**

* * *

**"He plays a stronger data tennis than Yanagi?" asked Jackal, eyeing the two doubles players in front of them.

"Then is pretending to be gay also part of their plan?" wondered Marui.

"We did it, Yuu-kun!" Koharu hugged Hitouji.

"Koharu!"

Marui's face turned greener than the bubblegum that he was chewing. "N-No way."

"Marui Bunta-kun."

Both doubles players turned towards Koharu who had a suspicious glint in his eyes. "Rikkaidai Fuzoku, year three, class five. Born on 20th of April, which means that you are a Taurus. Your interests are chewing bubblegum and eating cakes."

Marui was blushing as red as his hair to hear his entire history being recited out in front of everyone else. "Are you a stalker or something?!"

"When you're in sixth grade and living in America before you moved to Japan during seventh grade, you harboured a crush on your childhood friend, Echizen Rika-kun then—"

"H-H-How do you know about that?!"

Kirihara gulped as he _felt _the dark aura that his buchou was emanating. "Uh oh. Yukimura-buchou doesn't look too happy…" He muttered.

"Your shoes are this year's model. The product ID code is PD0634."

"…a hidden stalker?"

**

* * *

**"Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku! 2-1!"

Yagyuu sighed as he pushed his glasses up his nose as Marui and Jackal took a quick break as it was half-time. "Seriously, what are you two going to do if you continue playing at your opponent's pace?" he asked. "Even if you managed to take two games against them so far, it wasn't easy, was it?"

Marui grunted.

Rika sighed. "What is it with the grunts today?" she snapped. "Kevin greeted me with a grunt this morning. Sanada-fukubuchou greeted us with a grunt when we met up at the arena tennis courts. And Bunta, you're answering me with a grunt as well. Seriously…are you all trying to imitate Sanada-fukubuchou or something?"

"Marui."

Marui stiffed as he turned his head slowly to the side to see Yukimura smiling his angelic smile at Marui, but there's something off about this smile. It looks scarier…more like the devil's smile…

"Y-Yes?"

"Lose against them and you'll see Hell."

**

* * *

**"Game and match! Game won by Rikkaidai's Marui-Jackal pair! Six games to two!"

Marui sighed as he collapsed onto the bleachers, gulping down half a bottle of water to quench his thirst whilst Jackal was panting next to him.

"I'm never playing against them again," he stated.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

And so, singles two was Niou against Ishida Gin.

Niou nearly broke his wrist against Gin, and Yukimura was starting to think that it's a bad idea to pit Niou against Gin in a power showdown until he used a type of footwork familiar to all Rikkaidai players and turned Gin's power against him, hereby clinching the match at 6-4.

Doubles one was Yukimura and Yanagi against Oshitari Kenya and…Senri Chitose.

The match barely lasted ten minutes before Rikkaidai won at 6-2, though all of Rikkaidai knew that Yukimura's real tennis wasn't shown at all. Oshitari Kenya nearly passed out in shock when he tried to interfere in the match between Yukimura and Chitose until he decided to take Yanagi's advice.

And finally…

"_The final match of Kanagawa's Rikkaidai Fuzoku versus Osaka's Shitenhouji Chuu will start now. The match of singles one. Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Echizen Rika versus Shitenhouji Chuu's Toyama Kintarou. Both players, please step forth."_

Kintarou leapt onto the courts with a happy shout, nearly bouncing with glee to his side of the court. Both Rikkaidai and Shitenhouji's sides looked towards Rika to see her getting up from her seat and unzipping her regular jacket calmly, shrugging it off before taking up her racquet and leaping over the railings and walking towards the court.

It's the first time ever since the Nationals had begun that she's playing as a singles player. It's the start of her debut.

* * *

_A/N: Sorry to leave you hanging at a cliff hanger. I'll appreciate it if someone can describe what Kintarou's tennis style and moves are so that I'll be able to better write the next match. As for some Yukimura/Rika moments__…you'll get it next chapter after the end of Rika and Kintarou's match._

_I hope that you like this chapter and please read and review!_


	30. Rookie Battle!

Sorry for the late update, people! I'm really busy recently, and to make up for the late delay, I'll be probably posting the next chapter of this story tomorrow or the day after. And if you've been reading my Naruto fanfics as well, I'll probably put up a new story within the week as well.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Thirty: Rookie Battle!**

"_We will now commence the final match of singles one. Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Echizen Rika versus Shitenhouji Chuu's Toyama Kintarou. Both players, please enter the court."_

Kintarou was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet in glee, reminding everyone watching of a kid high on sugar. The referee stood by the sides as he watched the two players tossed for sides before it turned out to be smooth – giving first service to Rika.

As Rika was bouncing the tennis ball on the court, her racquet still in her right hand, a shout from her opponent's side of the court attracted her attention.

"Koshimae (1)!" shouted Kintarou, waving both his arms like flags. "Let's have a good match!"

Rika twitched. "Then you can go and find this Koshimae. I'm not her."

**

* * *

**"That guy…reminds me of a kid high on sugar," muttered Marui, blowing a bubblegum.

"Isn't this the pot calling the kettle black, Marui?" muttered Yagyuu under his breath, his arms folded across his chest, studying the current match with a critical eye. This match is one that all Rikkaidai regulars have an interest in since this was the first time ever since Rika's return to Japan and the start of the Nationals when Rika was playing in singles.

"What's Rika's opponent like, Yanagi?" asked Niou, turning towards their data master.

"Not much data available on him," said Yanagi calmly. "Only that he plays a form of haphazard tennis. Watch and you'll know."

**

* * *

**"This guy…is pissing me off!" growled Rika as she threw the ball into the air and served.

The moment that the ball made contact with the court, it spun furiously into the ground before bouncing upwards towards Kintarou's face.

"Whoa! A Twist Serve!" chimed Kintarou before leaping into the air, and the eyes of everyone in the Rikkaidai team widened as he spun himself into the air before returning the serve which Rika was quick to receive and returned it as a drop shot, earning herself one point.

"15-0!"

"What…what is that haphazard tennis?" muttered Marui. "It reminds me a little of Seigaku's Kikumaru's acrobatic tennis, only that this is a hundred times better than his."

From his place as bench coach, Yukimura smiled. _'Well then, Rika. What are you going to do?'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Game! Shitenhouji's Toyama! 2-2! Change courts!"

"We're at two games all now," remarked Oshitari Kenya. "We're slowly catching up."

"No," remarked Shiraishi, narrowing his eyes as he followed the Rikkaidai freshman with his eyes as she walked to where Yukimura is, the blue-haired captain holding out a water canister for her. The dark-haired girl doesn't even look winded, compared to Kintarou who was sweating a great deal by now. "That girl…she allowed Kin-chan to score on purpose."

"On purpose?!" echoed Zaizen. "You mean…she allowed Kintarou to take two games from her on purpose?!"

"I have no idea if she allowed Kin-chan to take two games from her on purpose or not, but I'm pretty sure that she threw that last game away on purpose," said Shiraishi. His eyes narrowed. _'This isn't like what I've heard about that girl… Is she saving her real skills as a trump card of sorts for the finals?'_

"Then the real game should start now," said Chitose grimly, and Shiraishi nodded.

**

* * *

**Kirihara whistled. "Man…Rika's really serious," he said. "I've never seen her play like this before."

Marui snorted in laughter. "I think that maybe Rika got pissed because that Shitenhouji freshman kept pestering her and calling her 'Koshimae'!"

Marui then straightened his face as he studied Rika, and glancing at Kevin told him what he wanted to know. _'Rika__…don't send the wrong person to the hospital just because of your nerves for tomorrow's match against Nadoya.'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"30-15!"

Rika frowned, narrowing her eyes as she studied Kintarou's movements who was currently dancing about on the court, shouting something which she has complete no interest in at the top of his lungs. He was unlike any opponent that Rika had ever faced before. His movements are too haphazard and too difficult to predict, and she has to rely on her 'Perception' ability and whatever subtle habits that Kintarou had which she was able to see.

'_No doubt about it now. His wrist twitches when he's about to smash, and his forefinger will rise two inches when he's about to perform a drop volley. It's extremely subtle, and he's probably doing it unconsciously, that's probably why his teammates failed to notice it. All right!'_

Back at Rikkaidai's bleachers, Niou grinned as he recognised that glint in Rika's eyes, and Yagyuu glanced at his doubles partner. "Niou?"

"She's seen something."

At Niou's words, the faces of the Rikkaidai team brightened, and turned back to the match once more. None of the Rikkaidai regulars would admit it, but they were all getting a little worried back then when Kintarou seemed to manage to clinch two games against Rika with seemingly no effort at all. And then again, none of them have Rika and Niou's observation ability.

Rika threw the ball up in the air before serving another Twist Serve, and Kintarou threw himself into the air to return the serve, shouting, "That serve won't work on me!"

The eyes of all Shitenhouji's regulars, including Kintarou who was still in mid-air, widened as they noticed the glint in Rika's eyes who was standing not too far away from the net as the ball sailed towards her, standing in an unfamiliar posture to all but Kevin.

Kevin smirked, having seen this only once during the US Open. "I see…" he said. "Don't blink, any of you." All Rikkaidai regulars turned towards Kevin at this point, confusion etched over their faces, even the ever stoic Sanada, and Kevin smirked, not taking his eyes off Rika's match. "I doubt that you will have the chance to see this move of Rika's often. She's created several new moves during her time in the US Open. One of them is coming now."

**

* * *

**The eyes of all Shitenhouji's regulars widened, and the toothpick jutting out between the lips of the Shitenhouji's coach nearly dropped to the ground as all gaped, wide-eyed at the sight of Rika switching her racquet from her right to her left, never taking her eyes off the ball coming towards her.

"L-Lefty?" muttered Kenya weakly. "That girl…she's a lefty?!"

**

* * *

**Rika smiled as the ball made contact with her racquet before she added a top-spin to the ball before returning it to her opponent's side of the court. Those with sharp eyes like Marui, Niou and Yanagi could see that the ball was spinning like a whirlpool before entering her opponent's side of the court…

"A word of warning, Toyama-kun," said Rika, and Kintarou looked at her, his face pale. "That ball…" She smirked. "…not even I myself knew the direction in which it's going to be returned in…"

Kintarou's eyes widened in both horror and shock as the ball landed on his side of the court and started turning in circular directions before shooting up into the air so quickly that he could barely see the ball itself.

Silence reigned over the entire court before the referee finally found his voice.

"G-Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Echizen! Three games to two!"

**

* * *

**"W-What is that earlier?" asked Jackal weakly. "It looks awfully like the Whirlpool Serve."

"It's the return version of the Whirlpool Serve," said Kevin calmly. Sensing his teammates' eyes on him, he smirked at them. "You don't think that Rika can manage to defeat Lleyton Hewitt in the finals of the US Open with just those few moves that she had before entering the US Open, do you?"

The eyes of all Rikkaidai's regulars present resembled goldfishes at this point in time save for Yukimura, Sanada and Yanagi. For one thing, Yukimura don't gape, though he managed to mask his surprise fairly well save for the slight widening of his eyes. Yanagi's eyes were wide opened, and Sanada was staring at Kevin as if the blonde had just spoken in Greek. The rest of the team meanwhile were staring at Kevin with saucer-like eyes, resembling goldfishes at this point in time.

"You did say…what I thought you just said, right, Kevin?" asked Marui at last weakly. "Rika beat Lleyton Hewitt…_the _Lleyton Hewitt…one of the top tennis players in the world?!"

Kevin nodded. "Rika knew that she can't win the US Open with those few moves that she had before she went to America, thus, during the three days break before the semi-finals in the US Open, she practiced with me non-stop to come up with some new moves. That's one of them." He nodded his chin towards Rika's direction. "The return version of the Whirlpool Serve – Whirlpool Return. Not even Rika herself knew the direction in which the ball is going to be returned in."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"40-15! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Echizen leads! Match point!"

"It's finally match point," remarked Sanada. "Rika. Finish this!"

Kintarou was bending over on his knees, panting heavily, and sweat was creating quite a puddle around him. Over at Shitenhouji's bleachers, the regulars were looking on in shock since this was the first time in history that someone can force Kintarou to go all out like this, and yet, he had only managed to clinch three games against the Rikkaidai freshman, and the girl, on the other hand, don't seem as if she was breaking a sweat.

"Kin-chan…" muttered Shiraishi worriedly.

"I…I'm not giving up!"

Kintarou launched himself into the air the moment Rika served, and started spinning himself in mid-air so quickly that he resembles a tornado of some sort. "Yama Arashi! (Mountain Storm)"

"Echizen-kun! Don't go up to the net!" Shiraishi shouted to Rika.

"What do you mean??!!" Kevin shouted at Shiraishi. "What kind of move is that??!!"

"That move is even more dangerous than any of my Hadoukyuus combined!" boomed Ishida Gin, shielding his eyes.

"_WHAT DID YOU SAY???!!!"_

Rika didn't hear any of her teammates' shouts or even what Shiraishi had shouted to her as she narrowed her eyes, relying mostly on her hearing instead of her sight to locate the ball within this technique that Kintarou had used before her ears caught the sound of the ball whistling towards her and she smirked, readying her racquet. She can use this chance to see if she had completed that technique…

"KIN-CHAN, ARE YOU TRYING TO DESTROY HER???!!!"

The loud and angry booming voice of the normally composed Shitenhouji's captain was the last thing that everyone heard before the Yama Arashi technique died down, and Rika had a satisfied expression on her face, her racquet out and standing in a position that resembled the posture that Yagyuu usually used when using his Laser Beam – her left arm stretched out, with her right hand holding onto the elbow of her left arm.

Everyone blinked as they finally noticed just where the ball was. And even the referee blanched at the sight of the neatly _split halves_ of the tennis ball on either side of Toyama Kintarou _in _the courts.

"Game and match! Game won by Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Echizen!"

Silence.

"T-That…it can't be…!" Senri Chitose can't help twitching his eye as he stared with wide eyes at Rika.

"Ne, Yukimura…" Yukimura turned towards Yanagi who had spoken, the data master had his eyes opened wide in wonder for the first time in his life. "Isn't that…the ultimate door – Teni Muhou no Kiwaimi?" Yanagi swallowed. "When…when did Rika unlock that door?"

"_With game count of five games to none, Kanagawa's representative, Rikkaidai Fuzoku, hereby proceeds to the semi-finals!"_

Rika sighed in relief as she heard the referee made that announcement and turned to return to her team's bleachers when a shout stopped her in her tracks.

"Koshimae!"

"Huh?" Rika turned towards Kintarou who was waving both his arms happily like flags, not seeming to mind that he had just lost his match against Rika. "It is a fun match! Let's play again next year!"

Rika nearly groaned and sighed. "I don't ever want to play you again," she muttered, but Kintarou somehow managed to hear her, despite being halfway across the court from her, and he whined.

"Oh, come on! Don't be like that!"

"Leave me alone!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Finally, two hours later, the sun was nearly setting, and Rikkaidai's regular team can be found having a strategy meeting of some sort at one of the shelters in the tennis arena park where the Nationals was being held that year.

Yukimura was holding the form on which was written the match line-ups of all the schools participating in the Nationals that year. After two weeks of fierce and competitive matches, finally, it's time for the semi-finals. The entire Rikkaidai team was grim as they surveyed the form that Yukimura had laid on the table before them.

All the schools that had been eliminated, aka lost their matches, was outlined in gray, and the schools that had managed to proceed to the semi-finals were outlined in red ink. Only four schools were left to compete in the semi-finals, and the victors of each match will meet again in the finals held three days after the semi-finals which will be held the next day.

Tokyo's Seishun Gakuen.

Hokkaido's Tsubakikawa Gakuen.

Kanagawa's Rikkaidai Fuzoku.

And…

Aichi's Nadoya Seitoku.

A sudden tense silence had fell on the Rikkaidai regulars, and Yanagi looked from one to the other before Yukimura gave him a very subtle nod that no one but Niou, Kevin, Rika and Sanada noticed. Yanagi sighed inwardly before telling the team what he knew from the data that's he collected from the start of the Nationals until today which is quite a lot.

"The semi-finals…" He began. "…it will be Seigaku versus Tsubikawa Gakuen. And…Rikkaidai versus Nadoya Seitoku."

Yagyuu frowned, pushing his glasses up his nose. "We've faced Tsubikawa last year," he said. "I'm surprised that they've managed to make it this far in this year's Nationals, since they were eliminated in the preliminary round of last year's Nationals. But Nadoya Seitoku…am I right to assume that this year is the first time that they've managed to make it into the Nationals?"

"That's right," said Yanagi with a nod. "I only heard rumours that the tennis coach of the team replaced all the regular members with foreigners from…America. I've gone personally to watch one of their matches, and those rumours are true. From the data that I've collected, I can assume that the line-ups for them will be the following…" Yanagi flipped through his notebook. "Doubles two, Gallagher and Moulin. Doubles one, Sergei Mihajlovic Mikkhailov and Michael Carothers—"

"An extremely long name, if you ask me," snorted Kirihara.

"—singles three, Lucas Siebold. Singles two, David Rivera. And singles one…the captain of the team…third year, Liliaden Krauser."

Yanagi glanced around at his teammates. Rika made no motion that she's heard Yanagi save for the slight narrowing of her eyes. Yanagi then continued. "I've talked the line-ups over with Yukimura and Sanada, and we've decided on the following line-ups—" The regulars perked up at this point in time. "—singles three, Yagyuu. Doubles two, Marui and Jackal. Singles two, Akaya. Doubles one, Yanagi and Niou. And singles one…Rika."

"You're _both_ sitting out again?" Marui blew his bubblegum, staring at Yukimura and Sanada in confusion. "You both hardly played in this year's Nationals!"

Yukimura chuckled and Sanada grunted. "That's good, isn't it?" said Yukimura. "It just proves that we do not have to worry about the team next year."

Marui smiled. "I guess," he said.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

That night, Yukimura was humming a low tune to himself as he heated up his dinner in the microwave, waiting for it to finish heating up, the low sounds of the television from the sitting room and the low whir of the refrigerator being the only sounds that could be heard.

Both his parents and his younger sister were out for the week, visiting his grandmother in Hokkaido who had been taken ill. Yukimura was extremely sorry that he couldn't go along for the trip, but whether he liked it or not, this year's Nationals was extremely important to the school and the team, and he couldn't be absent.

His parents and younger sister understood as well, and promised to call him every night to update him about his grandmother's status, and Yukimura had given a bouquet of pink roses to his younger sister who promised to give it to their grandmother.

The phone rang just then, and Yukimura answered it before it finished ringing for the third time.

"Moshi moshi?"

"_Moshi moshi? Onii-chan?"_

"Seika?" Yukimura said with a smile, recognising his younger sister's voice. "How's obaa-san?"

"_She's feeling better now. The doctor thinks that it might be the cold weather," _said his sister. _"How are things over there? And with your team?"_

"Things are alright," said Yukimura. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, you know? And we just clinched a victory against Shitenhouji today. We'll be playing in the semi-finals match tomorrow against Nadoya Seitoku."

Silence.

"_Isn't that the school that Rika-sempai was so jumpy about?" _asked Seika, sounding quite serious. Yukimura's parents and younger sister have met Rika when Yukimura brought her home after a month of seeing each other, and his parents liked her, and Seika even treated her like her own sister. Needless to say, Seika was also aware about Rika's past with one Liliaden Krauser.

"Yeah," said Yukimura with a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm worried. She'll most likely be playing against this Krauser guy tomorrow. Kevin and Rika both didn't look too good when they left the arena tennis courts earlier."

"_Onii-chan, only you can help her now," _said Seika, sounding quite serious. _"I won't be surprised if Rika-sempai comes over to our house tonight since tomorrow's the match. In fact, I'll be relieved and feel better if she does. At least you can ease her mind for tomorrow's match."_

Yukimura flushed red, running several possible scenarios in his mind to what his sister was implying. "W-W-What are you implying, Seika?! We're too young to even do _that!"_

"_Baka! I was talking about you talking with her! I wasn't talking about you doing __**that **__with Rika-sempai! What are you thinking about, you ero-onii-chan (perverted brother)?!"_

_Ding Dong!_

Yukimura looked around as the microwave gave a light 'ting', indicating that it's finished heating up the food, and the doorbell rang at the same time. "Seika, someone's at the door. I'll talk to you later, okay? Give my regards to obaa-san."

"_Okay." Click._

Yukimura walked towards his front door and opened it only to see Rika standing on his doorstep, dressed in a simple white T-shirt and jeans, with a light blue windbreaker over her shirt, and biting on her lower lip nervously, staring at Yukimura.

Yukimura blinked owlishly, wondering for the umpteenth time if his sister is a fortune teller of some sort since this isn't the first time that she's managed to predict things happening before it _actually _happened.

"Rika?"

"Can I come in, Seiichi?"

"Yeah," said Yukimura, stepping aside to let Rika in before closing the door behind her. "My parents and sister are visiting my grandmother in Hokkaido, so there's only me here." Yukimura explained, reading Rika's curious look as she glanced around the house. "Have you eaten?"

"No," said Rika with a shake of her head. "I've told Kevin and my parents where I'll be, so they won't be worried. Kevin will bring my stuff to the match tomorrow."

Yukimura nodded. "I'm just heating up some fried noodles for dinner. Make yourself comfortable whilst I go and get it."

"Okay."

It was currently seven in the evening, and there was an interesting drama show currently being showed on the television which is the reason why Yukimura had dimmed the lights of the sitting room a little since he had a habit of watching drama shows that way.

In a few moments, Yukimura was soon back with two plates of fried noodles, and a while later, both have finished their dinner. Yukimura was studying his girlfriend out of the corner of his eye with concern. Marui had warned him that Rika might pay him a visit tonight before they had left for home earlier as well because of the next day's match.

"What's wrong?"

"Do you want to watch it?" asked Rika, slipping out a tape from within her jacket. "The reason why Kevin and myself are so jumpy regarding tomorrow's match with Nadoya…and the reason why we're worried about the outcome of the match. Sure, we might win, but some of the regulars might end up in the hospital…like how half of St. Andrews's team members ended up after the match nearly a year ago."

Yukimura stared at the tape in Rika's hand. The label of the tape was written in English, but Yukimura was fluent enough in English to be able to read it. The words on the label were, _'National finals of St. John's Academy versus St. Andrews'._

Yukimura nodded. "It wouldn't hurt…and you want to prepare yourself for tomorrow as well, don't you?"

Rika nodded mutely as Yukimura took the tape from her and slotted it into the VCR player and played the tape. Yukimura didn't know when it started, but he suddenly found himself with Rika in his arms on the sofa as they watched the tape recording of the match nearly a year ago which was the reason which brought Rika to Japan in the first place. He wouldn't put it past Kevin to have an identical tape which he'd showed Yanagi, but the data master and the rest of the team probably didn't tell him because of Rika.

Yukimura watched in slight anger as the tennis matches went on, only aware of Rika clenching fistfuls of the jacket that he had on over his pyjamas, half burying her face into his jacket.

The doubles two match was the brother and sister duo from the Invitational Games – Tom Griffy and Terri Griffy – and Yukimura was shocked to see that they had no choice but to forfeit the match when both of their opponents attacked Terri mercilessly, resulting in her hitting her head pretty hard against the side pole of the tennis net when trying to receive a drop volley. Yukimura even wondered if she had suffered from a head concussion of some sort.

Doubles one wasn't much better. It was some guy named Alexander Greene and Billy Cassidy – the latter being one of the members from the American team during the Invitational Games – playing in that match. They lost that match at 4-6. Then singles three was a girl named Yakiwa Yuki against some guy named Gregory Weiser.

Yukimura remembered enough from what Marui, Kevin and Rika have told him about Kevin and Rika's time in America that the girl – Yakiwa Yuki – was their best friend since kindergarten, and the vice-captain of the team. Yuki managed to win the match, but she was severely injured, especially since her opponent kept attacking her ankle with the ball, reminding Yukimura of Akaya's old tennis style before Rika had helped him to seal the 'Devil Akaya' completely away before helping him to come up with a new style of tennis.

Then singles two…it barely lasted twenty minutes as Kevin came out the victor, clinching the game at six games to two, rendering his opponent being severely traumatised for some strange unknown reason, forcing authorities to call for the medics, carrying Kevin's opponent away on a stretcher, said opponent bleating like a sheep.

Then finally…singles one. It was Rika against Liliaden Krauser, the team captain of the current tennis team of Nadoya Seitoku, and team captain of St. John's Academy's tennis team back in America nearly a year ago.

Yukimura can see why Rika was so tensed up and worried when he watched the match. Even though she managed a clean win against Krauser, anyone with eyes can see that she's gone all out, and it won't be surprising if Krauser _did_ become stronger. After all, a year has already passed since then.

"It'll be alright," said Yukimura gently, tilting Rika's head upwards by a finger to her chin, taking in her rather pale face. "You _can _beat him. Like how you beat him nearly a year ago. You're stronger than half of the members in the Rikkaidai's regular team already. We're all counting on you and Akaya to keep the team alive next year when we graduate. You're stronger than you look, Rika."

Rika smiled weakly and nodded.

Rika's eyes then widened a little when she was suddenly forced backwards on the couch that they're both on, resulting her in lying on her back, with Yukimura above her as he clammed his lips onto hers, savouring in her taste as his tongue entered her mouth, and Rika shut her eyes as she leaned into him, wrapping her arms around Yukimura's neck, feeling Yukimura's hand snaking around her back and beneath her shirt.

His kisses were now travelling lower to her neck where Yukimura was now sucking gently onto the skin of her neck…

**

* * *

**Two hours later, Rika was lying sound asleep against Yukimura's shoulder as he was careful not to wake her and sighed. Looks like they'll be spending the night on the couch tonight. Yukimura picked up the remote controller and switched on the 'play' button of the VCR player, and the tape that Rika had brought along played once more, and Yukimura watched the matches once more, though when it reached the end of the matches, the tape didn't end there, but the scene of the tape switched to another.

Yukimura could only stare as the current scene showed a party of some sort at the seaside. It was night-time, and he recognised all the members of Rika's old tennis team in America, including the girl herself huddled on the beach, all in beach wear – in a T-shirt and shorts with beach sandals – and Kevin was holding a cake with eleven lit candles on it, with the words 'Happy Birthday, Yuki!' written on it.

They were all laughing and singing the birthday song. Everyone looked happy. And even Rika and Kevin were smiling and laughing along with their best friend. Yukimura glanced down at the sleeping body against his as he watched the tape, feeling sudden anger against Krauser who had torn apart the team.

He swore to himself silently. He would not allow Krauser's team to win, not if he can help it. Usually, Rikkaidai does not like to be so ruthless in a match, but he'll make an exception for Nadoya Seitoku. Rikkaidai Fuzoku shall give Nadoya Seitoku the most humiliating defeat that they've ever suffered during tomorrow's match.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_WHEN I TELL YOU TO RUN, YOU __**FREAKING **__RUN!!!"_

_Billy Cassidy blinked as he saw three new members to the tennis club of St. Andrews sped by like bullets as if the lion was snapping at their heels. Tom Griffy and Terri Griffy who were both on either side of him blinked and stared at the sight of their much esteemed and calm captain snapping at the members of the club._

"_Whoa. The captain's snapped…" muttered Terri._

"_Yeah."_

**

* * *

**_The sun was quickly setting, and the sounds of the seagulls crying could be heard by the three pre-teens currently gathered at the cliff of the sea, watching the sunset, and allowing the wind to blow through their hair._

"_Tomorrow…" Kevin Smith suddenly spoke, turning around to his childhood friends aka best friends. "Tomorrow's the day of the finals."_

"_Yeah. Our opponent is St. John's Academy," said Yakiwa Yuki grimly. "We know who they are…and who their team members are. But it doesn't make much difference." She closed her eyes before opening them again. "We're still playing."_

_Echizen Rika who was holding a rather familiar red leather covered book, looked up from the book and smiled. She was the bookworm among the three, and even though very few people knew, Rika was a fan of Shakespeare's works and classical works like The Phantom of the Opera and several of Shakespeare's classics like A Pound of Flesh and King Lear._

"_Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess,  
__We seek it thus and take it to the sky.  
__Ripples form on the water's surface,  
__The wandering soul knows no rest."_

_Rika read the passage out from the book that she had with her, and both Kevin and Yuki turned towards their friend with a smile. Yuki smiled her usual ever gentle smile as she hugged her knees to her chest, looking at Rika._

"_Loveless, act two," said Kevin with a chuckle._

_Rika smiled as she looked at her friends. "You remembered," she said._

"_How can I not," said Kevin, tapping the side of his head with the index finger on his right hand, "when you've beaten it into my head?"_

_Yuki laughed her twinkling laugh before reciting the next part of the book which Rika loved so much, especially since the story and phrases from Loveless was extremely captivating, and she can see why Rika loved it so much._

"_Even if the morrow is barren of promises,  
__Nothing shall forestall my return.  
__Become the dew that quenches the land,  
__To spare the sands, the seas, the skies.  
__I offer thee, this silent sacrifice."_

"_There is no hate, there is no joy,  
__For you are loved by the goddess.  
__Hero of the dawn, healer of worlds."_

_Kevin smiled and continued from where Yuki left off._

"_Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul.  
__Pride is lost, wings stripped away.  
__The end…is nigh."_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_It was raining heavily._

_It was just a week after Yakiwa Yuki's death, and three days after her funeral when Kevin Smith and Echizen Rika visited her gravestone at the cemetery. It was a rather elaborate grave as Yuki's parents were rather well-off, and angels were carved into the headstone of Yuki's grave, acting as her guardian angels of sort._

_It kind of eased Kevin and Rika both to think of Yuki up there in Heaven._

_There was silence for a while as both Kevin and Rika stared at the gravestone, ignoring the raindrops currently pelting down on them, speaking to Yuki within their hearts before Kevin broke the silence first._

"_My friend,  
__Do you fly away now?  
__To a world that abhors you and I?  
__All that awaits you is a sombre morrow,  
__No matter where the winds may blow."_

"_My friend, the fates are cruel.  
__There are no dreams, no honour remains.  
__The arrow has left the bow of the goddess."_

_Rika swallowed a lump in her throat as she looked at Yuki's gravestone, controlling her tears. There is a reason why she'd never told Yuki and Kevin the ending of Loveless…as it wasn't a happy ending for the three friends…the story which resembled __**their **__story so much…_

_But still, she'd promised Yuki once a long time ago that she'll tell her the ending of the story. She took a deep breath in and began to speak…_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was strange enough for Kevin to receive calls from people outside his friends. But it's even stranger when he received a call at 05:30am in the morning from none other than his friend in America, Billy Cassidy himself.

Kevin might be one of the dreaded species like Rika which are otherwise known as Morning People, but that didn't mean that he fancied being woken up in the ungodly hours of the morning. Kevin growled in irritation as he glanced at the face of his glow-in-the-dark watch only to see that it read 05:30am and growled, answering his cellphone.

"It's _05:30_ in the morning, Billy," he growled irritably into the phone. "You can talk to me at _seven_ in the morning in _Japan _when I wake up."

Billy's voice was unusually serious.

"_This is about the match, Kev."_

Kevin woke up immediately. "What about it?"

"_Will the captain be alright?"_ asked Billy.

"You're underestimating her, Billy—"

"_It's not that!" _Billy snapped. _"You know as well as everyone of us do that the death of the vice-captain hit the captain the hardest! They're the best of friends! Will the captain be alright?"_

"She's not _that_ weak," said Kevin firmly. "That's all there is to it." _Click._

He then sighed, running a hand through his hair and groaning slightly when he realised that he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep and sighed. Kevin then turned to look at the photo frame on his desk in which was framed a photograph of himself, Yuki and Rika which was taken a few months before Yuki's death during her birthday party at the beach that night, and which Rika had a copy of in her own room.

Kevin stared at the photograph, reaching over to grab the photo frame and staring at it whilst still half-sitting and half-lying on his bed. If truth be told, he was worried as well. But he knew as well as everyone does that Rika was as stubborn as a mule, and if anyone can defeat Krauser…she can.

Kevin studied the photograph for a while longer before he began to mutter something beneath his breath.

"_My soul, corrupted by vengeance, hath endured torment,  
__To find the end of the journey in my own salvation…and your eternal slumber._

_Legend shall speak of sacrifice at world's end.  
__The winds sail over the water's surface,  
__Quietly, but surely."_

A silent tear trickled down Kevin's cheek, splashing onto the glass surface of the photo frame.

"…Loveless…final act."

* * *

_A/N: The final part of this story is a little angtsy, I know, sorry about that. And the final part of this chapter is taken from Final Fantasy Crisis Core. So don't sue me! Anyway, with much luck, the next chapter will be out tomorrow or the day after. And it'll be the much anticipated match between Rika and Krauser. And regarding Rika's match with Kintarou, sorry if it's a little disappointing…but I'm clean running out of ideas to write matches._

_Anyway, I hope that you like this chapter, and please read and review!_

(1) Kintarou assumed that Rika's last name of Echizen is pronounced in Hiragana. The name 'Echizen' in Hiragana is pronounced as 'Koshimae'.


	31. Semi Finals! Rikkaidai versus Nadoya!

Sorry for the wait! As promised, here is the next chapter! And because Rika had helped Kirihara to form a new style of tennis, he doesn't rely on his 'Devil Tennis' any longer, and thus, Rikkaidai will not lose their first two matches against Nadoya like they did in canon, though I was wondering if I should make Kirihara lose control during the finals against Seigaku…

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Thirty One: Semi Finals! Rikkaidai versus Nadoya Seitoku!**

Match day against Nadoya Seitoku shone bright and clear.

And one Kevin Smith looked extremely grumpy as he turned up at the meeting point for all Rikkaidai regulars, which is fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how one tend to look at it, was right on the other end of the arena tennis courts where Seigaku is going to have their match against Tsubikikawa Gakuen.

Yagyuu was the first one there, much to the Gentleman's surprise, especially since Yukimura and Sanada usually tended to be the first ones at the scene every single time that they had a match scheduled.

The next one to arrive is Sanada, followed by Niou, Kirihara and Jackal. Marui, Kevin and Yanagi followed next.

Kevin grunted as Marui asked the blonde why he was so grumpy that day, and why he had Rika's tennis bag with him. Ryoga had nearly killed him that morning when he told the older Echizen brother that Rika had stayed over at Yukimura's for the night, since by some sheer miracle, Ryoga didn't manage to hear that Rika had told her mother and Kevin that she'll be going to Yukimura's the previous night.

Yagyuu who was looking elsewhere as his teammates discussed about their upcoming strategies against Nadoya later, bombarding a harassed-looking Kevin for details, he spied their MIA (missing-in-action) captain and their freshman regular walking towards them.

Rika quickly took her tennis bag from Kevin who looked extremely relieved for an interruption, and quickly made her way to the nearest toilet whereas the other regulars gathered around Yanagi who had the match line-ups form in his hand which they would be handing into the authorities within half-an-hour before the match against Nadoya begins at 10:00am – an hour from now.

"Why are you late, Yukimura?" asked Yagyuu as he watched Yukimura looked off into the far distance which _coincidentally _happens to be in the direction where Seigaku is going to have their match against Tsubikikawa Gakuen at the same time when they would be having _theirs. _"You're usually the first one here."

Yukimura looked embarrassed before he glanced around quickly to make sure that no one is listening in only to see that Kirihara, Niou, Marui and Jackal were all listening intently to what an irritated Kevin seemed to be saying for the umpteenth time about what he knew about Krauser, with Yanagi taking down notes quicker than one can see in his notebook. Sanada had on a bored expression on his face, but Yukimura knew him well enough to know that the fukubuchou of Rikkaidai was listening carefully to Kevin as well.

"…she turned off my alarm clock."

Yagyuu blinked owlishly. "Rika's at your house?"

"…yeah."

Fortunately, Yukimura didn't have to explain anything more to an obviously interested Yagyuu as Rika came towards the team just then, already changed into her tennis jersey and regular jacket, her tennis bag slung over her shoulder.

Kevin and Rika exchanged glances before nodding slightly. All the Rikkaidai regulars noticed this gesture – even the ever dense Kirihara – and even _he _knew that today is not exactly the best time or day to irritate Kevin or Rika since both aren't exactly in the best of moods, and their nerves are already stretched thin.

Today is the day.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Ten o'clock came too quickly for the Rikkaidai's regulars' liking as they have been spending the better part of the hour having a light breakfast at the nearby eatery before heading to their allotted tennis courts where they'll be having their match against Nadoya Seitoku with fifteen minutes to spare.

The players on both teams were told to line up on each side of the courts before exchanging the usual formal greeting, though the regulars on both teams, including the referee, were startled at the deadly glares that Kevin, Rika and the team captain on Nadoya's team exchanged.

If looks could kill, they would all be dead a hundred times over.

Niou frowned a little, however, as they headed to their individual bleachers to watch the match. He, like every single one of Rikkaidai's regulars knew just what had transpired between Kevin and Rika and the team captain on Nadoya, especially since just two days ago, Kevin had gathered the entire team, save for Rika and Yukimura, in the tennis clubroom after team practice to watch the recorded match that St. Andrews had against St. John's Academy a year ago.

However, it is the looks that Rika and Kevin were shooting at Krauser which confused him. Niou is like Rika in which he can read people's body language and facial expressions easily. Kevin's expression isn't too difficult to decipher since he's looking at Krauser with a look of dislike and loathing. It's Rika's which is confusing him. She's looking at Krauser with a scornful expression as well…but something more like confusion is added into her expression as well.

"_We will now commence the semi-finals match of the National Tournament. The match of Kanagawa's Rikkaidai Fuzoku versus Aichi's Nadoya Seitoku will start now. The first match is singles three. Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Yagyuu Hiroshi versus Nadoya Seitoku's Lucas Siebold. Both players, please enter the courts."_

Everyone watched as Yagyuu shrugged off his jacket before entering the court where his opponent – a slightly arrogant looking third year with light brown hair was waiting – before both tossed for sides and Yagyuu got first service.

Both players then headed to their individual serving and receiving spots before Yagyuu threw the ball up into the air and served.

**

* * *

**Thirty minutes later, the extremely shocked referee was announcing the score of singles three of 6-0, with the victor being Yagyuu Hiroshi of Rikkaidai Fuzoku, and Yagyuu's opponent, Lucas Siebold was on his hands and knees on his side of the court, looking severely traumatised to the end in which two of his teammates have to literally carry him off the court.

Yukimura smiled his ever eternal smile as he glanced at the scoreboard which displayed the scores of the matches as Yagyuu walked off the courts, his racquet tapping on his shoulder, not even out of breath.

"I thought that you said that they were tough?" asked the Gentleman quietly, directing this question towards a particularly shocked Kevin, settling down on his seat in the bleachers.

"Well…they're _supposed _to be," muttered Kevin, his eyes wide as he looked at the scoreboard. "Or maybe I'm just overestimating Krauser's team, since his team was particularly tough when _we _faced his team over a year ago during America's Nationals."

"Or maybe we're just stronger than them," chirped in Kirihara.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Nadoya lost doubles two to Rikkaidai in a mere twenty minutes as well, with a score of 6-1 against the Marui and Jackal pair. The two weren't even forced to remove their wrist weights.

Then singles two…

Apparently, Kirihara's opponent was one of the stronger players of the team as his opponent managed to get three games against Kirihara before one of Nadoya's players taunted Kirihara in English which Kevin, Rika, Niou, Marui, Yukimura and Yagyuu understood – the six being quite fluent in English – and even though Kirihara's English was really bad, he could tell that they were jeering at him.

"Rika." Kirihara nearly growled through tightly clenched teeth during half-time. "What did these guys say?"

Kevin and Rika exchanged nervous glances before Rika decided to answer.

"'Is this guy really one of the regulars of last year's champs? Or did he only get on the team because of pity? In my country, even a little kid can beat him.'"

"I…see…" said Kirihara, nearly seething with anger as he stood upright, his right eyebrow twitching dangerously, a sign that he's seriously pissed off right now. "I can't let them look down on me, can I?"

Twenty minutes later, Kirihara was stomping off the courts as the severely shocked referee was announcing the score of 6-3, with Kirihara's opponent having to be carried off the courts, bleating like a sheep.

Kevin frowned as he studied Krauser's face. Nearly a year ago in that match, he recalled Krauser being quite pissed off when his players lost singles two and singles three, but now, Krauser only looked quite thoughtful and kept sneaking subtle glances at Rika who was watching the matches with a stone expression.

And he remembered on the day of Yuki's funeral, he had overheard loud and furious shouting and some swear words being exchanged between Rika and one other. He wasn't outside that day as he was busy comforting Yuki's devastated parents, but Billy was outside with Rika at that time, as he was the 'door guard' since the Yakiwa family was similar to Rika's family in a way as both families were well-off and influential in America, and Yuki's death made the headlines for a week.

Billy had later told him that Krauser had showed up at the door in his school uniform and with an expression that looks as if his cat had died. But Rika who had headed outside to get some fresh air and to avoid all those people who were giving Rika some pitying looks had flown into a temper when she saw Krauser, and had forcibly dragged him away. But their shouting match could even be heard by the people within the Yakiwa mansion, and Billy himself had no idea how as well, but he could put together that Krauser and Rika knew each other even before St. Andrews's match against St. John's Academy.

But it seems like the mystery between them both could only be solved once Krauser and Rika faced each other in a match which won't be long now.

Doubles one was a straight win as well since Rikkaidai's players were Yanagi and Niou, and there was a ten minute intermission as the authorities were cleaning up the court to get ready for the next match.

The entire court had fallen extremely silent as the two players for singles one were both getting ready. Krauser was tightening the laces on his shoes, with his tennis racquet beside him, seeming to focus only on his shoes, but anyone with eyes could see that his mind was wandering elsewhere.

Rika on the other hand, was fixing a grip tape on her tennis racquet, seemingly in deep thought.

"This is it," muttered Marui. "Rika, if your match gets too much, it's alright with us if you forfeit…and I don't mean the physical kind. Right?" He looked at Sanada and Yukimura, and both nodded.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be alright. I'll win this match even if it kills me." Rika finished fixing the grip tape on her racquet before slipping on a black wristband on her left wrist and reached into the pocket of her tennis bag next to her, pulling out a photo which Kevin instantly recognised as one which he had taken with Rika and Yuki three months before Yuki's death.

'_Yuki__…'_

Rika slipped the photo back into her bag before re-tying her shoelaces, seemingly not noticing her teammates' concerned expressions. _'It's this day now… I know that this isn't right…but I won't be able to move on if I don't face Krauser myself. I need to know the truth, Yuki…even if I have to resort to some other 'methods'. Forgive me.'_

"_We will now start the final match of the semi finals of the National Tournament. The final match of singles one. Kanagawa's Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Echizen Rika versus Aichi's Nadoya Seitoku's Liliaden Krauser. Both players, please enter the courts."_

The Rikkaidai side fell deadly silent as they watched the two players approached the nets, giving each other a stone look.

"It's finally here," said Kevin grimly, breaking the silence, his fingers curled together just below his chin. "The much anticipated match of America's two strongest."

It's as though a cold wind had suddenly blown through the courts as Rika and Krauser's glaring match exceeded the two minute mark before Rika finally spoke, breaking the uneasy silence between them, yet only those who understood English – the Nadoya's regulars, Kevin, Marui, Yukimura, Yagyuu and Niou understood her, and those few in Rikkaidai have to translate for the benefit of their other teammates.

"_Before we begin this match…Krauser…answer me one thing," _said Rika coldly, showing everyone present just how she got the name of 'Ice Princess'. _"Why did you kill Yuki back then? You weren't like this in the past." _Kevin blinked. The past? _"Tell me then. Just why you did what you did to Yuki back then… Then tell me…what exactly is the difference between you and the brother and family that you hated for years!!"_

'_Huh?' _Those were Kevin's exact thoughts, and his teammates' expressions mirrored his current expression.

Krauser's expression was both solemn and full of pain as he looked at Rika, guilt in his eyes, his left hand clenching into a fist. _"I-I loved her—"_

"_You call killing Yuki…LOVING HER??!! You have to be __**joking!!!"**_

"_I—"_

"_I guess there's no way around it then," _said Rika grimly. _"Let's begin the match."_

They both tossed for sides before Rika got first service and both headed to their individual receiving and serving positions on the courts, Rika getting ready to serve, her racquet in her right hand. The Rikkaidai side froze as they saw the cold and angry look in Rika's eyes as she tightened her hold on her tennis racquet. Throughout Rika's time in Rikkaidai, this was the first time that they saw her truly angry. The name 'Ice Princess' isn't just for show.

Kevin did something that he never thought he'll ever do for Krauser.

He prayed for him.

"Is it just me…or did the temperature suddenly drop several degrees?" asked Kirihara weakly. The sophomore wasn't exaggerating since everyone _did _feel like the temperature did drop several degrees which is kind of strange…seeing as how it's currently late summer.

"_One set match! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Echizen to serve!"_

Rika studied Krauser, and her eyes narrowed.

_Ne, Rika. I've met someone today._

'_Did you meet the wrong person, Yuki? I have no idea. But…that's also what I'm here to find out!'_

And she threw the ball up into the air and served.

**

* * *

**_Clang!_

"_G-Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Echizen! Three games to love!"_

The regulars on Nadoya Seitoku's side were all standing up, shock on their faces as they saw the blood flowing freely from Krauser's nose, and that his tennis racquet was currently on the ground, Krauser looking at his hand…and yet, not seeming to see it, judging by the unfocused look in his eyes.

Yanagi frowned; he knew what this reaction was, seeing as how he'd seen it performed only once when he was a freshman alongside Sanada and Yukimura. "The 'yips' reaction?"

"Oi…you're kidding, right?" muttered Marui, his eyes wide. "Since when did Rika grow so strong?"

Yagyuu smiled, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Looks like we no longer have to worry about the team next year once we graduate," he said.

"Yukimura…when did she learn your 'yips'?" asked Sanada, turning towards his best friend in surprise.

"I have no idea," muttered Yukimura, yet he wasn't too surprised.

He had only played against Rika once, and the girl had lost to him, unsurprisingly, but under her request, he had used the 'yips' on her, and until today, he had no idea why. But now he knew. He, like how Niou and Marui knew, that Rika had the uncanny ability to mimic a move that she had only seen once, but not once did he see Rika used the same 'yips' ability that he had.

Until now, that is.

Kevin studied Rika. _'Rika__…'_

**

* * *

**_Flashback:_

_Kevin sighed as he looked at Rika who was panting heavily, tennis balls scattered all over the ground, the dark-haired girl in one of the tennis facilities where numerous ball machines were facing her, with Kevin waiting outside for her for his own personal safety._

"_Rika, six ball machines fired at the maximum speed is too much," said Kevin with concern. "The finals are six days away, isn't it? You'll get injured like this! And not to mention that we're still heading back to Japan after the US Open finals for the Nationals!"_

"_I'm fine!" said Rika, panting heavily. "Add one more machine, please."_

"_Rika__…!"_

_But what Rika is going to say next stopped Kevin in his tracks._

"…_the 'yips'…the tennis that Seiichi showed me only once a long time ago… I have to master it, no matter what!"_

_Flashback Ends:_

**

* * *

**'_The 'yips' reaction__…' _thought Kevin. _**'That's **__what she's been training so hard for…in order to bring Rikkaidai to their third consecutive victory at the Nationals and to beat Krauser! She won't lose!'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Clang!_

Rika bit back a pained cry as she clutched her right elbow, her tennis racquet slipping from her grasp and falling to the ground with a clatter, the girl in question herself on her knees, clutching her right elbow where Krauser had smashed with the ball earlier.

"Rika!"

Most of her teammates were on their feet, and only tournament protocol prevented them from racing over to their teammate since there's a chance that she will get disqualified for this. Kevin was clenching his teeth together in fury, glaring at Krauser, and much to his shock, saw that he's already recovered from the yips some time back. He suddenly recalled a conversation that he had with Rika once during their plane ride to Japan. The 'yips' reaction that she'd trained for…she hasn't mastered it yet. That's probably the only explanation for Krauser breaking out of his 'yips' state by aiming the ball at Rika, since the full mastery over the 'yips' state is nearly impossible to break.

"_Krauser__…you bastard…!"_

Rika glared at Krauser as she got to her feet slowly, massaging her arm slowly, relieved to find that there's no lasting damage done before she picked up her racquet, studying it. There's only one sure way to find out the truth from Krauser if he wouldn't tell her.

'_Forgive me, Yuki__…__for what I'm about to do__…'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Niou frowned as he noticed that Rika's play-style has completely changed.

"I recognise some of the moves that she's using," said Yanagi with a frown. "Moves taken from basketball and volleyball. Movements from break-dancing and inline skating as well as high jump."

"Sporty Tennis," stated Yukimura. "My kid sister uses this style as well."

"Sporty…Tennis?" echoed Kirihara.

"A style of tennis which movements were taken from other sports like basketball and volleyball," explained Yagyuu. "This kind of style is extremely difficult to counter and read as it's so unpredictable. It's also the most troublesome style of tennis to master, that's why very few players choose this style. I think that Bobby Max from the American Invitational team uses this style as well…only in his case, his movements were taken from strictly only rugby, while real Sporty Tennis uses movements taken from various sports…like what Rika is doing now."

"I see how it is…" said Kevin with a smirk, and everyone turned towards him with a questionable look on their faces. "It's not Rika who's standing on the court now. Both Rika and myself knew only one person who uses Sporty Tennis as her personal tennis play-style. The vice-captain of St. Andrews's tennis team…Yakiwa Yuki! Sporty Tennis…is Yuki's play-style. I forgot to mention this." He grinned. "Rika can imitate any move that she's seen…even if she's seen it only once. She has photographic memory. That's why she can use my moves as well as Marui's." Marui only nodded with a smile, showing that he already knew about this. "Right now…it's not Rika who's standing on the court." He smiled. "It's Yuki."

"I see…" said Sanada with a nod. "Her observational traits at work, huh? What impressive ability!"

"Yeah," said Niou, nodding. "Not even I can do it! I can imitate someone, but not everything. What Rika is doing…it's them throughout and out on the court right now."

"But…" Kirihara frowned. "Why is she doing this now? That Krauser guy shouldn't have given her such trouble since she hasn't gone all out yet."

"Who knows?"

**

* * *

**Krauser's eyes widened in slight shock and horror as the ball whizzed past him, gaining another point against him, making the game count at five games to none. But he wasn't seeing anything right now. What Liliaden Krauser is seeing right now is something which no one but him could see.

'_Yu__…ki…?'_

**

* * *

**_One year ago:_

"_Oof!"_

_Krauser blinked as he peeped out from behind the numerous boxes that he's holding, the boxes conveniently blocking his vision, only to see that he's bumped into a pretty girl with hazel-brown hair brushing against her shoulders and pretty blue eyes, resulting in her falling to the ground._

"_Watch where you're going!" The girl stood up and yelled at him, leaving Krauser blinking stupidly. This is the first time that someone had yelled at him._

"_I—"_

"_Yuki!"_

_Both Krauser and the girl turned to see a pretty dark-haired girl with tints of green in her hair and hazel eyes with a tint of gold to it coming towards them both, dressed in the same uniform that the girl who had bumped into him was wearing – a white blouse and a black skirt with a striped dark blue and white tie._

_The girl frowned at Krauser, looking between him and her friend. "Yuki, is he bothering you?" asked the girl, a dangerous tone in her voice._

"_No," said Yuki quickly, taking her friend's arm. "I merely bumped into him by accident. Come on, Rika, let's go. Kevin's waiting for us."_

"_Okay."_

_And the two quickly sped off, leaving Krauser gaping like a goldfish after their departing backs._

'_I didn't even manage to apologise.'_

**

* * *

**_But he met them again a week later at the burger joint not too far away from his school._

_He had managed to get away from his ever eternal bodyguards after school had let out for the day, and had practically ran to the burger joint which is his safe haven. He has no idea when it had started as well, but he had started to despise his family and their mafia doings, and wanted nothing more than to be away from his family__…especially his older brother and his parents._

"…_why can't the teachers ever choose an __**easy **__topic for our Literature project?!" A loud complaining voice reached Krauser's ears just then, and he turned in his seat only to see the two girls whom he had ran into nearly a week ago, along with a blonde boy._

"_I don't think that it's that difficult, Kevin," said the dark-haired girl whom Krauser remembered her friend called 'Rika'. "King Lear is a pretty interesting story."_

_Her two friends rolled their eyes. "Only __**you**__ would think that a high school standard Literature story is interesting, Rika," said Yuki, clapping her hand on her friend's shoulder. "Though I agree with you that King Lear is pretty interesting…especially with all the parts with Cornelia and King Lear. Though I hated the ending. In the end, King Lear and Cornelia died, didn't they?"_

"_Huh?"_

_Kevin nearly had question marks floating above his head as the three got in line to buy their burgers._

_Yuki sighed. "You should really learn to read more, Kevin," she said. "King Lear is one of the most famous literary works by William Shakespeare."_

_Kevin snorted. "I'm no bookworm, Yuki," he said. "Though I would prefer an easier story to work on."_

_Rika rolled her eyes. "How about Phantom of the Opera if you're so picky then?" she asked, irritated._

_Kevin paled. "Er…no thanks," he said, and Yuki laughed._

_Rika reached into her pocket just then before fishing out her cellphone and answering it. She exchanged a few quick words with the person on the other end of the line before frowning and ending the call._

"_Sorry Yuki, I'm afraid that Kevin and myself have to go," she said. "Something cropped up at home."_

_Yuki blinked but nodded. "Okay. Call me tonight?"_

"_Naturally."_

_Rika then grabbed Kevin's arm before both left the restaurant. Yuki blinked, but shook her head as she bought her burger meal from the cashier at the counter before looking around the rather crowded restaurant, not finding a place to sit before Krauser waved at her, inviting her over._

_Yuki raised a brow as she walked over to him, recognising him. "Aren't you…?"_

"_Yeah. We meet again. I'm sorry for the last time."_

_Yuki raised a brow, but sat down opposite Krauser. _

"_I guess we haven't properly introduced ourselves, have we?" asked Krauser. "I'm Liliaden Krauser. I'm a sophomore middle school student at St. John's Academy."_

"_Isn't that the school that has their elementary school, middle school and high school sections combined?" asked Yuki, unwrapping her burger. "And I've heard about your family." Krauser froze. "…you don't seem all that bad, seriously. I had the __**pleasure—" **__A sneer on her face said otherwise. "—of meeting your brother, or at least I __**think **__that he is your brother, and he didn't leave a very good impression on me."_

"_I'm sorry for him," mumbled Krauser, bowing his head slightly._

"_Don't," said Yuki sharply, and Krauser looked at her. "Don't __**ever**__ apologise for someone else. It's not your fault that your brother is such an ass." She then relaxed and looked at Krauser curiously. "How rude of me! I hadn't introduced myself yet, have I? I'm Yuki. Yuki Yakiwa. I'm a senior at St. Andrews' elementary school section. Nice to meet you."_

**

* * *

**"_Excuse me?!" Krauser blinked, staring at Yuki as they both leaned against the railings overlooking the sea. It's been about six months after they met, and he and Yuki have been making fast friends. "You told your friend about me?!"_

_Yuki looked embarrassed. "Sorry!" she said. "I didn't mean to! It's just that no one can lie to Rika, and she's been getting curious to where I've been going to everyday after tennis practice since I usually hang out with Kevin and Rika. So, I__…kind of told her."_

_Krauser nearly groaned as he knew what most people's reactions to a member of the Krauser mafia family are. "And how did she react? Did she freak out, warn you to stay away from me, spew out a list of my family's 'dark doings', and tried to find out if I bedded you already?" asked Krauser sarcastically, running a list of whatever rumours that the people at his school had spread around. That's only part of the reason why he only has one friend. Note the plural. That's right. He only has one friend, and her name is Yuki Yakiwa._

"_No, she did none of those things," said Yuki, turning slightly red at Krauser's last sentence. "You should have more faith in my friends, Liliaden." She added, looking quite offended, and Krauser looked ashamed of himself. "She merely asked how I met you, and how you're like since she's concerned that you'll be like your brother." She muttered something beneath her breath. "The last time I met your brother, I was with Rika. He took one look at both of us and asked us how old we are and our names, and even asked us if we're free to be his 'company' for that night. Rika didn't appreciate that and sucker-punched him in the face."_

_Krauser snorted in laughter. "I wished I could have seen that," he said, laughing. "And your friend sounds interesting."_

_Yuki grinned and nodded. "Yeah. She would like to meet you too."_

**

* * *

**_Krauser sped away in his sports car away from the Krauser mansion, preventing the tears from leaking from his eyes, an opened can of beer beside him._

_It was a week after his school's match against Yuki's school, and he enjoyed the match against his friend's school tremendously, even though he had lost. He knew that his teammates do too, even though a few of them have the tendency to play 'rough tennis' aka injuring people with tennis._

_However, his family wasn't so impressed, and Krauser was pretty furious when he found out that his father had done some checking up on him and found out that Yuki, the vice-captain of the team that had beaten his own team was his friend._

_In fact, his family had demanded for him to stay away from the girl and even said that she isn't good enough for him. And no matter how much Krauser had argued, his father refused to listen, and even added that since the team had refused to heed his brother's 'advice' before the match, they'll get what is coming to them._

_In other words, his brother had told the St. Andrews's team to throw their match against his team__…like how he did to every strong team that even have a chance at beating them, but St. Andrews had refused._

_Now, Krauser feared for the lives of Yuki and her friends. They're the captains of the tennis team, after all, and they'll be on his family's hit list. He knows his family, and knew that they would do anything to 'regain the Krauser family's honour and pride'. To them, even losing a simple tennis match is as good as losing their family's honour and pride. _

_How did they exactly have that kind of thinking, he has no idea._

_Krauser took another swipe of his beer before wiping his eyes. It was raining and the roads were slippery, and he knew that he should not drink while driving, especially during bad weather, but he didn't care anymore. It's better if he dies, seriously. He can't take this kind of life any longer. What life did he even have if his family dictates his every move?_

_All of a sudden, a cat suddenly ran before the path of his car, and Krauser immediately grabbed the steering wheel with both hands and fought to avoid hitting the cat, pressing down on the brakes. A loud screech of the tires sounded before his car turned towards the kerb of the pavement, and his eyes widened in horror as he saw the horrified face of Yuki's best friend – Rika – and fought to swerve to avoid hitting her, but to no avail. He caught a flash of hazel brown out from the corner of his eye just then only to see Yuki pushing her best friend out of the path of his car, taking the hit from his car head-on, sending Yuki flying though the air and crashing against the side of the road._

_Krauser stared with horror as he saw Rika and Kevin screaming their friend's name out of the tinted windows of his car, Rika cradling Yuki in her arms, blood covering her. He has no idea what he's doing, as it was like someone had taken control of his body, since he immediately reversed his car and sped away. _

_Like a criminal running away from the scene of the crime._

**

* * *

**_It was only two days later when Krauser was going to school when he spied that day's newspaper for sale at the newspaper stand when he froze in shock. The headline of the paper was 'Tennis Prodigy Died in Car Accident', and the photograph of one Yuki Yakiwa was on the newspaper._

_Krauser quickly bought the paper and skimmed through it quickly only to learn that Yuki had died during that accident two days ago as she had literally cracked her skull opened. That day is the day of her funeral which is being held at the Yakiwa mansion, and there will be no school for all St. Andrews's students that day so that they can attend the funeral._

_He also read that the two eyewitnesses – Kevin Smith and Rika Echizen – have both informed the police about the car that had hit their friend, and that said car had the emblem of the Krauser family on it, but the Krauser family head had insisted that no one in his family had taken any of the cars out on the day of the accident, and that they were missing one car which license plate number 'coincidentally' matches with the same car that Rika had described, and some guy who is one of the guards of the Krauser family also 'coincidentally' turned up a day after the accident, claiming that he's the one who had ran Yuki down, and that he took one of his employer's cars out for an illegal spin._

_Krauser's head was spinning too when he read this. _

_Now he understood why his father had suddenly scrapped the car that he had used that day, and why one of his father's guards had suddenly disappeared. But the newspaper stated that Rika and Kevin were convinced that the guard isn't the same person who had killed their friend, as despite the tinted windows, they can tell that the guy isn't of the same build as the driver who had drove that car. But because of lack of evidence, and because of the tinted windows, the police had declared the guard who had 'confessed' the actual driver, and his fingerprints were found on the steering wheel of the car which had somehow turned up in a desolate park._

_Reading the address of the Yakiwa mansion, Krauser took off running._

_Seems like he would be playing truant today._

**

* * *

**_Nearly two months later could find Krauser demolishing one of the training dummies in the training hall of his home._

_His father had summoned him earlier and informed him that he'll be sending him to Japan to 'lay low for a while', and no amount of arguing could make the Krauser family head budge. Krauser couldn't even manage to pay his final respects to Yuki, his only friend, as a furious Rika had intercepted him before he could even enter the Yakiwa mansion, and had forcibly dragged him away out of earshot as one of her friends was acting as door guard at the mansion's front doors._

_Once out of earshot, Rika had yelled and shouted at him, and so furious that Krauser didn't even manage to speak one word in his defence. Rika was firmly convinced that Krauser was the one who had drove the car which had ran Yuki down, and she's not wrong about that, but she was convinced that it was no accident, and that Krauser was angry that their team had beaten his team because of the death threats that Kevin, Rika and Yuki have been receiving of late, and had killed Yuki._

_Krauser knew that he can't blame Rika for acting this way as she had never known him like how Yuki did, and she was really furious right now, and not thinking straight. Even if she wasn't biased against him like how so many others did, her best friend is dead. And the actual perpetrator of the crime wasn't the one currently in jail, but a scapegoat that his father had somehow found. _

_Let's face up to it. __**Who **__wouldn't assume that he's in cahoots with his father since Yuki had never told Rika about Krauser's problems with his family?_

**

* * *

**Krauser looked at 'Yuki' with a pained and guilty look, before 'Yuki' frowned, and his vision cleared to reveal that it's Rika who had earned one point past him with a well placed smash.

"_40-0! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Echizen leads! Match point!"_

Rika studied Krauser's half-pained and half-guilty look. _'It__…wasn't him? Could it really be like what Yuki had said in the letter that she had left to me? Should I even hand that disc to America's authorities?'_

_Find out the truth from him, Rika. This is my last request._

Rika closed her eyes, gripping tightly on the ball. _'Even if I don't like it, I will accede to your request, Yuki. I will find out the truth from him. Kevin wasn't aware that both you and I knew Krauser long before that match, and I've kept it that way. If he really is innocent, then I shall do what I should have done a year ago.'_

"_Krauser!" _Rika called out, and Krauser jerked back to reality. The entire court was silent just because of how badly Krauser was losing, not even managing to get one point past his opponent. Maybe a little underhanded of Rika to resort to psychological tactics, but she needed to in order to find out the truth behind that accident from a year ago. Rika tightened her grip on the tennis ball in her hand. _"I know the truth now!" _Krauser's eyes widened…along with everyone else who understood her. _"From this point on, it's all original, and my own tennis style!"_

And she served a fast Twist Serve to Krauser who managed to return it before his eyes widened in shock, along with everyone else in the courts, even Kevin, as they saw Rika switched her racquet to her left hand.

'_This is my gift to you, Krauser…and Yuki. This move…is in memory of both of you!'_

Rika hit a powerful slice upwards, forcing the ball to go forward with tremendous speed towards Krauser's initial direction, but the ball curved and went upwards just before her side of the net before sailing into the air and falling back to the baseline on Krauser's side of the court, the ball still spinning in it's spot before flying back towards Rika who caught the ball with her right hand.

Silence.

"W-What is that shot?" Kevin babbled like an idiot, staring at the ball in Rika's hand. "How can she hit that kind of shot?! It's impossible!"

"It's similar to the Hakugei of Seigaku's Fuji," remarked Yagyuu.

"The slice that she used to return that ball has a part to play in that," said Yanagi, scribbling furiously into his notebook. "A pretty powerful slice is required to hit that shot, only that in this case, the shot needs total _control, _not power. Add in with a little wind—" Said wind blew through their hair just then. "—and with the slice that she added to the ball will result in the ball falling to the baseline of her opponent's court before returning to Rika's right hand. This shot is similar to Seigaku's Fuji's Hakugei serve, only that it acts as a return. It requires a little breeze to work."

"Only she can do something like this," muttered Sanada, quite impressed, though he didn't quite show it. "I will have no worries leaving the team to her next year…even with her as vice-captain instead of captain because she's a girl and a freshman. She'll be able to keep Akaya in line."

"Hey! I resent that!" Kirihara protested, and everyone laughed.

"_W-What is that shot?" _asked Krauser, looking at the baseline and back to Rika.

"_Getsuei Henkan," _said Rika. _"It means 'Moon Return' in Japanese." _She sighed. _"'Tennis can be used to touch a person's heart'. Yuki was right in the end. I managed to see the truth. Won't you tell me, Krauser? The truth behind Yuki's death."_

Krauser stared at her for a long while. _"I__…never wanted to see Yuki dead! I swear! She's…my first friend…my only friend! I loved her…more than anything else in the world! But my family objected. Her death…it was really an accident! I didn't mean to! I was drunk that day, and it was raining. I lost control of the car! When I hit Yuki, I…I was scared! That's why I ran away! I…I killed the only girl that I ever loved! I killed her with these hands!" _Krauser looked at his hands, shaking. _"And then, without my knowledge, my father arranged for a scapegoat to take my place. I wasn't even aware of it until two days later when I saw the headlines of the newspaper! I don't blame you for blowing up at me on the day of Yuki's funeral. I would have too. It's my fault! All of it!"_

Rika studied Krauser. _"The accident happened over a year ago," _she said. _"It's considered case closed now, anyway. I just want to know if it's truly an accident, or if it's a murder by disguising it as an accident. I know that it's you behind the wheel that day. But, it's alright now. Krauser." _Krauser looked up at Rika. _"__…Yuki gave me a disc a long time ago. In it was concrete proof against your family…evidence of all their misdeeds. She told me about your problems with your family, and she has been trying to find evidence to nail them down in the court of law…enough evidence so that no amount of political leverage can save them. She did it for you." _Krauser's eyes widened. _"She told me once a long time ago that if anything was to happen to her, hand that disc over to the American authorities. But doing so would free you from the chains that bind you to your family as well. I've waited until today as I wasn't sure if you did truly intend to kill Yuki that day, or if it's an accident, and if handing the disc over to the authorities in America and freeing you is the correct thing to do. But now I know the truth…" _She closed her eyes. _"It might take a while, Krauser, but you'll soon be free from your family, and be free to live your life the way that you want to. Just wait a while longer."_

Krauser smiled. A real smile this time. One that Rika's only seen when he's with Yuki. _"I've waited for three years. What difference does a few more months make, Echizen?"_

Rika smiled. _"That's Rika to you."_

"_Huh?"_

"_My friends call me Rika, Krauser."_

Krauser smiled. _'You're truly just like what Yuki said. You're a lot like her. I can see why you're best friends. The fog has cleared. I can see clearly now. I can live my life the way that I wanted to now… Right, Yuki?'_

'_Liliaden!'_

"_Game and match! Game won by Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Echizen! Six games to none!"_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"So you're going to hand that disc over to your mother?" asked Kevin a while later when both teams were packing up.

The sun was setting, and the Rikkaidai tennis team was planning to head to the yakiniku restaurant which they frequented to have their dinner, and a form of celebration for winning the semi-finals before the finals begin in three days.

"Yeah," said Rika, ignoring the glances of her teammates. "It's something that I should have done a long time ago. Yuki asked me to do that. But I wasn't sure if I'm doing the right thing or not. I was too angry back then to even think straight. I just didn't think that it's fair if Krauser did indeed kill Yuki intentionally by disguising the murder as an accident."

Kevin nodded with understanding. "It wasn't your fault. I would have done the same too if it was me."

Rika slung her tennis bag over her shoulder before looking over at Nadoya's side. That school may have lost their match, but they didn't look too disappointed as Krauser had finally found his peace. In a way, Krauser being sent to Japan is a good thing.

"_Hey, Krauser."_

Krauser turned at the sound of his name…along with every other person in the vicinity which included the Rikkaidai regular team.

"_Do you know the story of Loveless?"_

"_That tragic story of the three friends who were torn apart by fate again and again?" _Krauser blinked. _"No. I've heard of it, but I've never read the story."_

Rika smiled. This is the last request that Yuki had asked of her – to tell Krauser the story of Loveless for some reason that she can't fathom. _"I shall tell you."_

"_When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end  
__The goddess descends from the sky  
__Wings of light and dark spread afar  
__She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting_

_Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess  
__We seek it thus, and take it to the sky  
__Ripples form on the water's surface  
__The wandering soul knows no rest_

_There is no hate, only joy  
__For you are loved by the goddess  
__Hero of the dawn, Healer of worlds  
__Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul  
__Pride is lost  
__Wings stripped away, the end is nigh_

_My friend, do you fly away now?  
__To a world that abhors you and I?  
__All that awaits you is a sombre morrow  
__No matter where the winds may blow_

_My friend, your desire  
__Is the bringer of life, the gift of the goddess  
__Even if the morrow is barren of promises  
__Nothing shall forestall my return_

_My friend, the fates are cruel  
__There are no dreams, no honour remains  
__The arrow has left the bow of the goddess_

_My soul, corrupted by vengeance  
__Hath endured torment, to find the end of the journey  
__In my own salvation  
__And your eternal slumber_

_Legend shall speak  
__Of sacrifice at world's end  
__The winds sail over the water's surface  
__Quietly, but surely_

_Even if the morrow is barren of promises  
__Nothing shall forestall my return  
__To become the dew that quenches the land  
__To spare the sands, the seas, the skies  
__I offer thee  
__This silent sacrifice."_

Rika ended, and looked at Krauser's dumbstruck expression. _"Do you understand what Yuki is trying to tell you by getting me to tell you this? This is like __**our **__story."_

"_I…I think so,"_ said Krauser slowly before clenching a fist and placing it to where his heart was._ "She will always be here."_

Rika smiled and nodded. _'Well, not quite what Yuki wanted to tell you, but it'll do. For when the time comes for you to understand the hidden meaning in those words…is the time when you're truly ready to let go.'_

She turned towards her teammates. "Let's go."

_**Ne Rika. What does the Loveless poems meant anyway?**_

_When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end  
__The goddess descends from the sky  
__Wings of light and dark spread afar  
__She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting_

_**("What is your name? I'm Yuki. Yakiwa Yuki.")**_

_The infinite mystery  
__The gift of the goddess is what the three men seek  
__But their fates are scattered by war  
__One is taken captured  
__One flies away  
__And the last becomes a hero_

_**("**__**…this is probably the last time that we will come here, Yuki. I'll be heading to Japan…permanently. Kevin will still be here…though he'll head to Japan too in a few months' time.")**_

_But the three are still bound by a solemn oath  
__To seek the answer together  
__Once again_

_**("**__**…I promise…Yuki.")**_

_Though the prisoner escapes, he is gravely wounded  
__His life is saved, however  
__By a woman of the opposing nation  
__He begins a life of seclusion with her  
__Which seems to hold the promise of eternal bliss  
__But as happiness grows, so does guilt  
__Of not fulfilling the oath to his friends_

_**("**__**…welcome to Rikkaidai's tennis team.")**_

_As the war sends the world hurtling towards destruction  
__The prisoner departs with his newfound love  
__And embarks on a new journey  
__He is guided by hope that the gift will bring bliss  
__And the oath that he swore to his friends  
__Though no oath is shared between the lovers  
__In their hearts, they know they will meet again_

_My friend, the fates are cruel  
__There are no dreams, no honour remains  
__The arrow has left the bow of the goddess_

_My soul, corrupted by vengeance  
__Hath endured torment, to find the end of the journey  
__In my own salvation  
__And your eternal slumber_

_Legend shall speak  
__Of sacrifice at world's end  
__The winds sail over the water's surface  
__Quietly, but surely_

_Even if the morrow is barren of promises  
__Nothing shall forestall my return  
__To become the dew that quenches the land  
__To spare the sands, the seas, the skies  
__I offer thee  
__This silent sacrifice.'_

Rika looked up the stairs of the bleachers which led them to exit the courts, and it might be a trick of the light, as she thought for a moment that she saw Yuki's silhouette smiling down at her before vanishing.

'_Rika. Thank you.'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Meanwhile, over with Seigaku, the team was crowding around the board which was listed the names of the schools which had qualified for the next round of the National Tournament.

Seigaku had managed to clinch a victory against Tsubikikawa Gakuen with a victory of 3-1, with one match ending up in a draw when both sides forfeited. Clearly, Tsubikikawa had improved tremendously, compared to the previous year when by some unlucky draw, Tsubikikawa had ended up facing Rikkaidai during the preliminary rounds of the Nationals.

Shinderui Shiki's eye twitched as he saw who Seigaku's next opponent is, wondering who his cousin is going to cheer for this time. His cousin and his best friend weren't present during most of the matches at the Nationals because of Riku's violin competitions for their school. But both will be able to attend the finals of the National Tournament three days from now as Riku's last competition is today, and knowing his cousin's best friend, he'll likely win the competition.

"What are you taking so long for, Shinderui?" asked Momoshiro, placing one hand atop Shiki's head and looking at the board, and he gawked, much like how his kouhai did a moment earlier. "Ah."

"Oh dear." Oishi sighed.

The rest of Seigaku's regulars looked on in silence, and the slight twitching of Tezuka's eyebrow was the only sign of his current mood as they read and re-read the name of the school of their next opponent in the Nationals, hoping that they hadn't read wrong…only one step away from winning the Nationals and becoming Japan's Number One.

A red line had connected the names of the two schools that had made it to the finals of the National Tournament together – Tokyo's Seishun Gakuen versus Kanagawa's _Rikkaidai Fuzoku._

Ryoga sighed, and only one thought went through his head right now.

'_Well…damn.'_

* * *

_A/N: I do think that this might quite possibly be the longest chapter that I've ever done! Next chapter: start of the finals! And I'll probably make Yukimura sit out this match__…again. Though to all Yukimura fans, he will make a slight appearance with his tennis __**unofficially. **__You'll see what I mean later on. _

_And I think it might come as a surprise regarding Krauser's real intentions. When I first included him in this story, I wasn't intending to have him as one of the good guys, but then the idea about a misunderstood character by everyone but Yuki stayed stuck in my head, so here he is! I hope that no one kills me for it!_

_And to anyone who can decipher what Loveless meant in regard to Rika, Kevin and Yuki (including Krauser), will get a cookie!_

_Anyway, I hope that you like this chapter, and please read and review!_


	32. Showdown at the Top!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Thirty Two: Showdown at the Top!**

The day before the finals, Yukimura finished team training early, wanting his players to be at their best condition the next day against Seigaku during the finals of the National tournament.

Rika and Kevin, however, headed to the seaside near Rikkaidai to watch the sunset. It's a strange thing, but it's always been their habit before matches to head to the seaside to watch the sunset. Watching the sunset calms them down.

"Tomorrow…" said Kevin, finally breaking the silence that had fallen between them. "Tomorrow's finally the finals."

"Oi!!"

Both Kevin and Rika turned around at the shout only to see Riku and Sora running towards them in their Rikkaidai school uniforms, and Rika smiled at their appearances. Both of them haven't been able to watch all of Rikkaidai's matches during the Nationals because Riku was participating in the _musical_ Nationals (1), and because Rika was in the regular tennis team, it only left Sora as the only one available to go cheer Riku on.

Rika and Riku both were very kind about it, and the two boys were extremely apologetic to Rika as they would have to miss her matches, but they caught up with each other's news through the phone, and the day during Rikkaidai's semi-finals match with Nadoya is also the last day of the music competition which Riku won…obviously.

As such, the two boys were both eager to watch their best friend's match during the finals of the Nationals the next day, and both were curious to see what she's learnt from her time during the US Open.

"Sorry that we missed all your matches during the Nationals, Rika," apologised Sora the moment the two boys reached where Rika and Kevin were standing. "But Riku's mother is overseas…as usual…and no one will be there to cheer Riku on if I don't go to his competition."

Rika sighed. "Like I said, it's alright!" she said. "I understand. Furthermore, Yanagi-sempai recorded all our matches on tape, and I can easily borrow some of the tapes from him if you really want to watch our matches during the Nationals so badly." She sighed, further amusing the three boys. "So, how's your competition, Riku?"

Riku grinned and put a thumbs up. "I won," he said proudly. "Do you really expect anything less from me?"

"He came in first in the musical recital," said Sora, grinning. "I got some good pictures. Fuyama Miyako in class 1-6 – our next door class – won the piano recital whilst Riku won the violin side. Daidouji-san won the singing side hands down. Overall, Rikkaidai won the Nationals again."

Kevin grinned. "Then we'll do our part tomorrow by winning in the _tennis_ Nationals," he said. "Yoshizawa-kouchou-sensei will be pleased to have the trophies from the Nationals displayed in his office once more."

Sora's face turned serious. "Tomorrow is against Seigaku again, right?" he asked, and Kevin and Rika both nodded. "Will you be facing my cousin?"

"Most likely," said Rika, turning towards Sora. "The buchou will be sitting out on this match since Sanada-fukubuchou wants some payback against Seigaku's buchou, Tezuka Kunimitsu. Apparently, Sanada-fukubuchou has never won against Tezuka-san once. But then again…the last time they played against each other was when they're both freshmen. It's been two years since then."

Riku shook his head in dismay. "Sanada-sempai sure is as stubborn as a mule," he said.

Sora, Kevin and Rika stared at Riku. "Like you're one to talk, Riku," said Rika, and Riku blushed.

Sora turned serious. "Maybe I shouldn't be saying this because Shiki is my cousin, Rika, but maybe you should know that Shirai-niisan took Shiki out on a training trip right after the end of the semi-finals two days ago. They're both not back yet, and knowing Shirai-niisan, he's bound to teach Shiki some tricks. He's pretty good in tennis."

Rika frowned. "Is this Shirai your cousin?" she asked.

Sora nodded. "He's Shiki's older brother. I think he's in his freshman year at Tokyo University now though."

"Is he good in tennis?"

Sora scratched his cheek with one finger idly. "I think he was captain of his tennis team when he was in high school, and he even took his team to the Nationals." Sora added helpfully. "So all I can say is, Shiki's bound to learn some new tricks from his brother, so don't take him lightly."

"Don't worry, I won't," said Rika grimly. "I'm not satisfied with the way our match ended during the Kantou finals. This time, I'll be sure to beat him utterly."

"This is the last year that the sempais can see their National medals and trophy being displayed in the tennis clubroom," said Riku solemnly. "There's a lot of pressure on you since you're in the most important spot of a tennis match – singles one."

"I know," said Rika grimly. "I'll win my match." She looked at the sunset. "I won't lose."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Today is the finals of the Nationals, isn't it?" said Nanako from the doorway, watching her cousin put on her tennis shoes, already dressed in her tennis jersey with her tennis bag beside her, Kevin waiting outside the house for her. "Do you want me to go and cheer for you?"

"It's alright," said Rika, turning around to look at her cousin. "Kevin is already going there. Niisan has left already?"

Nanako nodded. "I'll be relieved once this tennis tournament is over," she said with a sigh. "Tension is so high in the house these days ever since it was announced that both your teams would be facing each other…again."

Rika giggled nervously. "Hahaha… Gomen."

Nanako shook her head. "I'll come to the match if I could," she said. "Ganbatte, Rika."

Rika nodded, picking up her tennis bag, slinging it over her shoulder. "Thank you, Nanako."

Before leaving, she took a backwards glance at the photo frame sitting on the top of the shoe cabinet near the entrance of the Echizen residence. Said photo was that of Rika, Yuki and Kevin taken during their time in America.

Rika smiled slightly before leaving the house.

'_Yuki, I will keep my promise to you.'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_Always win, Rikkaidai!"_

"_Let's go! Let's go! Rikkaidai!"_

"_Seigaku! Fight!"_

The cheers of the cheerleaders from Rikkaidai which nearly made up half of the student population of Rikkaidai Fuzoku echoed over the courts. And Seigaku's non-regulars were cheering at the top of their lungs as well. Riku and Sora were also present in their school uniforms, seating in the bleachers with the regulars. And much to everyone's surprise, Yukimura's younger sister, Yukimura Seika was also present – the young girl who would be attending Rikkaidai as a freshman during the next school year.

Nearly all the schools that Seigaku and Rikkaidai have ever faced during the tennis tournaments were currently seated in the bleachers. Fudomine was present. And so are Higa and Rokkaku. Hyotei's regulars were all present, including Atobe who wanted to see his cousin's match. Nadoya was also present, though it seems more like the remaining of the regulars are only there on their captain's behalf. Shitenhouji was present as well, all interested in Rikkaidai's match, though it seems more like Kintarou being there was only to watch his 'rival's' match. St. Rudolph and Yamabuki were also present.

"There is no doubt about the strength of Rikkaidai this year," said Shiraishi solemnly to the rest of his team. "It's going to be a fierce battle between those two schools."

**

* * *

**"Sure seems like a repeat of the Kantou regional finals, isn't it?" said Kamio with a frown, watching the tennis regulars from both schools gathered onto the courts, exchanging the usual formal greeting before a match.

**

* * *

**"It's been awhile since the Kantou regional finals," said Oshitari with a frown. "And both teams are bound to have grown stronger." He sighed, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Sure seems like both Seigaku and Rikkaidai are fated to clash against each other on the courts during the finals of a tournament, no matter what. I hadn't seen both schools playing against each other in any match but the finals yet."

Atobe smirked. "It'll be interesting to see what my little cousin is capable of then," he said, glancing at Rika's form on Rikkaidai's side of the courts.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The Rikkaidai regulars were all looking coolly at their opponents, though Niou was grinning cheekily at them. Seigaku's regulars were all looking right back. The tension on the courts was so thick that a knife could almost slice through it.

Rika frowned slightly as she narrowed her eyes, glancing at the shivering small figure on the end of Seigaku's line, standing beside Kaidoh Kaoru. Even with the cap pulled down to cover his face, Rika knew enough that it wasn't Shinderui Shiki standing there, but a double.

Rika frowned. _'Where is he? Is he planning to skip out on me?'_

**

* * *

**"_Nevertheless, now it's time for the finals between Rikkaidai Fuzoku and Seishun Gakuen. The first match of singles three of Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Sanada Genichirou against Seishun Gakuen's Tezuka Kunimitsu."_

"Ne Kevin." Sora spoke quietly, not taking his eyes off the first match of singles three, with Sanada having first service.

"Huh?"

Kevin looked around at Sora who had his fingers curled together below his chin, watching Seigaku's bleachers with a frown.

"Shiki is in singles one, right?"

Kevin nodded. "Yeah," he said. "We've seen the match line-ups form of Seigaku. He's in singles one against Rika."

"What will happen if he doesn't get here on time?" asked Sora grimly.

Kevin studied Sora carefully before turning his attention back to the match on hand. "I suppose…singles one will be considered a forfeiture match on Seigaku's side."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Much to everyone's surprise, Seigaku lost to Rikkaidai in singles three with a score of 7-5, with the victor being Rikkaidai. But still, it's quite a close one as Sanada nearly crippled himself with excessive use of the _Rai _whilst using his _Fuu Rin In Ka Zan Rai_ (Wind Forest Shadow Fire Mountain Lightning).

Tezuka didn't exactly have it easy as well by continuously using his new Zone – Tezuka Phantom – in which every ball that enters his zone and which was returned by his opponent will ended up in the ball being out.

Then doubles two was Rikkaidai's Yanagi and Kirihara versus Seigaku's Inui and Kaidoh.

The match ended in the most amusing way. Both sides got 3-3 before it's Kirihara's turn to serve, and he used his Twist Serve. Inui who was the receiver miscalculated the intense spin and power of the serve which Kirihara had practiced continuously with Rika during practice even before the semi-finals, and Inui ended up getting knocked out by Kirihara's Twist Serve which hit him in the nose (2).

And thus, Rikkaidai won doubles two due to Seigaku forfeiting because of Inui getting knocked out. Ryoga nearly groaned at this, and Seika has to bit on her bottom lip to prevent her laughter from escaping, and Yukimura and the rest of the team merely looked amused. Yanagi was extremely amused as well, but Kirihara was not pleased with the outcome of his match.

Then singles two was Rikkaidai's Niou Masaharu versus Seigaku's Fuji Syusuke.

Niou showed everyone present just why the Trickster on the courts was so feared, countering every single one of Fuji's new improved Triple Counters. Niou's play style was the 'imitator' play style in which he can perfectly copy anyone that he had met, whether it's in appearance, play style or techniques. That technique is pretty similar to Jyousei's Wakato, and Rika's ability. But Wakato requires constant practice in order to imitate someone, and Rika could only imitate moves, but Niou can really mimic them throughout.

That is the exact reason why he's called Rikkaidai's Trickster. His play style is like a psychological tactic against his opponents.

First, Niou imitated Tezuka before Fuji managed to counter his respect for the Seigaku's captain before he imitated the only person that Fuji had ever lost to in an official match – Tsubakikawa's captain. Then, much to Rikkaidai's disbelief, the poor silver-haired teen foolishly made the mistake of imitating a certain freshman regular in Rikkaidai's tennis team.

Everyone edged away carefully from Rika as she radiated an extremely dark aura.

"…Ri…ka…?"

Rika's eye was twitching dangerously as she watched this. "Niou-sempai, be prepared for the beating of your life if you lose this."

Niou gulped at this. Next to Rika, Niou himself was the most troublesome opponent in Rikkaidai, and the freshman knew this better than anyone else since the Trickster is the only one who has the ability to counter against her abilities. Both have the same observation ability and Perception ability, and both can imitate play styles.

In the end though, Niou lost to Fuji at 5-7, and Niou was greeted by a glowering Rika whom he only managed to make up with by promising to get her one of Shakespeare's classics – one of Rika's favourite books.

Then doubles one was Rikkaidai's Marui and Jackal versus Seigaku's Oishi and Kikumaru. The match seemed to tip in Rikkaidai's favour at first, until the score came to 5-2, with Rikkaidai in the lead, and the Golden Pair were then forced to use their Synchro, surprising everyone present that they can use the Synchro consciously, _not _when they're in a pinch.

And it was then that Momoshiro Takeshi who had disappeared with Shinderui Shiki at the start of the doubles one match came running up to Tezuka, panting and out of breath. And from where Rikkaidai was seating, they could hear something about Shiki getting amnesia and trying to get his memories back.

Rika scowled as she looked from the doubles one match currently taking place on the courts to Seigaku's bleachers where they're missing the one player that she wanted to play against more than anyone else.

'_Rika, embrace your dreams.'_

Rika scowled inwardly, pinching her nose to lessen her headache as she recalled what Yuki had always said to them. Embrace your dreams. The dark-haired girl looked at the empty spot at Seigaku's bleachers where one Shinderui Shiki was sitting in before.

'_Isn't your dream to come to the Nationals?! You wanted to face __**me**__ more than anything else, and I wanted to face __**you**__ more than anyone else. Before I left for America, you said that we'll finish our match in the Nationals. So why must you lose your memories at this time?!' _Rika growled, clenching her hands into fists by her sides. _'What a bother… At a time like this…!'_

Rika made up her mind. She unzipped her tennis bag before taking out her racquet and tucked it under one arm before turning to make her way up the stairs before the voice of her captain aka boyfriend stopped her in her tracks.

"Rika, are you going? To find that boy?"

"I want to beat him in a head-on fight," said Rika, turning halfway to look at the back of Yukimura's head. The rest of Rikkaidai's tennis team, along with Seika, Kevin, Riku and Sora watched on with curiosity. "There's no pleasure in beating him in a tennis match when he's not at full power. That's the way we do things at Rikkaidai, do we not?"

"It's not that simple, is it?"

"It's his dream…along with every Seigaku regular to make it to the finals of the National tournament. Besides…" Rika sighed. "…I want to beat him fair and square. At the Kantou tournament, I only won because of sheer damn _luck. _It pisses me off. I want to beat him with my own power."

Rika felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see her fukubuchou standing behind her, as solemn as always, his tennis bag slung over his shoulder as well.

"I shall accompany you there," said Sanada solemnly.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"This is _really _like a repeat of the Kantou tournament," muttered Riku.

Doubles one was taken by Seigaku's Kikumaru and Oishi, the Golden Pair hereby clinching the title of Japan's number one doubles team, much to Marui and Jackal's dismay. There was some intermission before the final match of singles one, but neither Rika or Shiki have made an appearance yet.

Seika turned around in her seat, chewing on her bottom lip nervously. "Where is Rika-sempai?" she asked worriedly.

"_Continuing with the National tournament final, the singles one match. Rikkaidai Fuzoku – Echizen Rika. Seishun Gakuen – Shinderui Shiki. The match shall begin. Both players to the court!"_

The names of the players on the electronic scoreboard switched to that of the two freshmen of the individual schools.

Seigaku's regulars exchanged grim looks with each other, and Rikkaidai looked over at Seigaku's bleachers to see that Seigaku is missing a certain freshman regular of their team.

"Looks like he didn't make it in time," stated Yagyuu.

"Would you take a look at that?" said Kirihara triumphantly. "Looks like we win then."

"No," said Yanagi with a frown as Rikkaidai's freshmen and one soon-to-be-freshman turned around in their seats to the entrance of the tennis courts as if hoping that the two players will turn up anytime soon. "Rika isn't here as well."

There was a yell just then, and everyone present turned towards the source of the sound only to see a certain annoying redhead freshman from Shitenhouji walking towards Yukimura who was currently acting as bench coach, his hands clasped behind his head.

"I bet Koshimae just went off for a piss, you know?" said Kintarou cheerfully. "Hey, Rikkaidai's boss-man. What do you say, until Koshimae and that Shinderui both showed up, you and me both go at it? If you don't mind?"

"Come on, you!" The referee slid out of his seat and went towards Kintarou. "Now just hold on."

"Come on, Rikkaidai's boss-man!" Kintarou pleaded whilst trying to wiggle out of the grasps of the two referees.

"Looks like Kin-chan is trying to buy them both some time," said Shiraishi.

"Come on, can't I?" pleased Kintarou. "Just one ball? Please?"

Everyone watched as Yukimura got up from his seat and picked up his racquet, his jacket flying behind him.

"Shall we play, Toyama-kun?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Rika leaned against the entrance of the tennis courts as she spied a figure wearing Seigaku's regular jersey walking towards her and smirked, straightening herself up. _'He's finally here.'_

"You sure took your own sweet time, Shiki," said Rika, and Shiki smirked. A brunette girl wearing Seigaku's school uniform whom Rika instantly recognised as Ryuzaki Sumire's granddaughter – Ryuzaki Sakuno – was by Shiki's side. Rika then smirked, recognising the look in Shiki's eyes. "Have you gotten your memories back?"

Shiki's usual confident smirk answered that question, and Rika smiled, picking up her racquet currently leaning against the wall next to her, tucking it beneath her arm before turning towards the entrance of the tennis courts, half-turning towards Shiki.

"We've kept the audience waiting long enough," she said. "Let's give them a match that they'll never forget!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Back in the tennis courts, Toyama Kintarou was shivering, the usual boisterous teen now a wrecked ball of a shivering scared boy on his hands and knees on the courts.

The eyes of everyone present in the tennis courts were shocked, especially Seigaku, since Inui had by some sheer miracle, managed to attain a video-tape of Rika's match against Kintarou during Rikkaidai's match against Shitenhouji.

"I-I can't believe it," muttered Momoshiro, his eyes wide in disbelief as he watched Yukimura staring Kintarou down coolly. "That boy…he played an even match with Echizen Rika whom Shinderui played evenly with during the Kantou finals!"

"It's been awhile since then," added Ryoga grimly, glancing at Momoshiro. "I don't know what Rika did for training during the US Open, but I hadn't been able to beat her once ever since she returned from America!"

"Kin-chan!"

Shiraishi and Oshitari Kenya leapt over the railings and ran down to the court to retrieve their frightened teammate.

Everyone was shocked, staring at Yukimura with wide eyes. If the captain of the team is _this_ good, then what will their next player be like – said to be Rikkaidai's next year's number one player?

Yukimura turned his eyes towards the entrance of the tennis courts.

"I see that you're here."

Shiki smirked. "Sorry to keep you waiting," he said.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Everyone watched as Rika unzipped her jacket before placing it on her seat and picking up her racquet. Before she could enter the court however, she was stopped by Sanada.

"Rika, everything that you've learnt and experienced for these past few months…bring it all to bear on the match that starts now," said Sanada solemnly. "Without a doubt, Shinderui Shiki is going to be the toughest opponent that you're ever going to face."

Rika nodded. "Hai!"

**

* * *

**"Time to start a new age, Rika," said Atobe with a confident smirk, looking at his cousin from his place with the Hyotei regulars. "With that power of yours… This match between you and Shinderui Shiki…will be one that is going to be talked about for years."

**

* * *

**"_Beginning now, the National tournament finals of singles one. Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Echizen Rika versus Seishun Gakuen's Shinderui Shiki. The match will begin now."_

Everyone could sense the tension in the air as the two freshmen – said to be their individual schools' top players – were now currently standing at the net, exchanging the usual handshake before a match. Both were looking at each other, promising silently to give it their all in the match. This match will decide who the best among them is.

Both freshmen broke their eye contact before moving to take their positions on the court.

"_One set match! Seigaku's Shinderui to serve!"_

"It's finally here," said Yagyuu, his arms crossed over his chest. "Whoever wins this match is the better of the two."

**

* * *

**"We've finally come this far," said Tachibana Kippei grimly.

"Seigaku and Rikkaidai," said Ishida. "Which of them is the better team? It'll all be decided in this match."

"Yeah."

**

* * *

**Shiki gripped the tennis ball in his right hand with his racquet in his left as he looked at Rika who was looking at him with a neutral expression. _'This match…' _he thought before throwing the ball up in the air and serving. _'It will not end like the last time!'_

The ball landed in Rika's court before spinning on the ground, and Rika smirked. _'Twist Serve, huh? You should have learnt by now that it won't work against me!' _And she returned the serve to Shiki's side of the court.

Rika narrowed her eyes as she saw Shiki using his Drive A before returning the ball, and she smirked before leaping into the air before the ball can make contact with the court and returned the ball.

**

* * *

**"Amazing…" muttered Kite Eishirou. "Every single one of Shinderui-kun's finishing moves are being returned."

**

* * *

**"1-0!"

"Is this all that you have to offer, Shinderui Shiki?" asked Rika coolly. "If it is, I'm disappointed."

"I'm not done yet!"

Rika looked at Shiki with a raised brow. "What a troublesome guy."

**

* * *

**"This is bad," muttered Oishi, gripping the railings with both hands. "This match…without a doubt, Echizen Rika is much stronger than before. She's probably…" He trailed off.

"…on Yukimura's level?" finished Tezuka, looking at Oishi. "I think so too. Her presence…it reminds me of him."

"This match is even above Shinderui's normal maneuvres," said Oishi worriedly. "His normal returns are not strong enough, and even his Drive C is not good enough."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Shiki bounced the ball on the court, getting ready for his serve, and Rika narrowed her eyes as she noticed the aura that was currently circulating around Shiki's feet, recognising it immediately.

'_The first door? Muga no Kyouchi?'_

The aura had surrounded Shiki's entire body by then, and the silver-haired teen smirked at Rika. "Here I go then," he said before throwing the ball up into the air, and over at Higa's side, Kite Eishirou's eyes widened in shock.

"That is…! Tanishi-kun's Big Bang!"

Rika grabbed her racquet with both hands before returning it simply to Shiki's court. "You may have power, but that's far too simple."

Shiki raced up to the ball before getting into a strange stance and returning the ball. And almost immediately, the ball seemed to replicate itself, and the eyes of Fudomine's Kamio widened in shock.

"That is Tachibana-san's Wild Ball!"

Rika reached one of the balls in record time. "A ball can't replicate itself," she said. "There's only one." And she returned the ball before the replications vanished, the ball returning to Shiki's side of the court before the boy returned it, the ball vanishing before it enter Rika's court.

"Chitose's Kamikakushi!" said Zaizen in shock.

"A ball can't be erased either," said Rika calmly, returning the ball.

**

* * *

**"That won't work on her, Shinderui-kun," muttered Shiraishi. "That girl is no ordinary player. You of all people should know that."

"Echizen can see through every single move," remarked Chitose. "Much as I hate to admit it, that girl is the kind of player that you can only find once every ten years…maybe even longer. Her tactics are simply too good."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Do you mean to continue in this fashion, Shiki?" asked Rika, returning the ball, and Shiki's eyes widened. "And you should know that the Muga no Kyouchi will sap away your strength to no end."

Rika's eyes widened just then – along with every Rikkaidai player save for Sanada – as Shiki suddenly seemed to vanish and appear where the ball was returned to in lightning speed. "That's awfully pragmatic of you, Rika," said Shiki coolly before returning the ball by slicing it like he's holding a sword.

"15-all!"

"Even _Rai_ from _Fuu Rin In Ka Zan Rai?!"_

**

* * *

**Yukimura frowned from his place as bench coach and turned towards Sanada.

"You showed him that?" he asked.

"If we truly intend to leave Rikkaidai in the hands of Rika and Akaya once we graduate, Rika must get over this hurdle," said Sanada solemnly. "There's no true victory in an easy win. Besides…" Sanada smirked. "She's the one we chosen…she won't lose this."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

'_It's no use, Shiki.'_

Rika kept her eyes fixed on Shiki's movements as he used _Rai _once more, and as if in slow motion, she saw the ball moving towards her before she received the ball with her racquet, and the Seigaku's freshmen trio gasped, and Shiki's eyes widened in shock as she returned the ball.

"She returned Lightning?!" Kawamura gasped.

Shiki growled before leaping into the air, and all those who had been present at the finals of the Kantou regional tournament recognised this stance immediately.

"Whirlwind Smash?!"

"I've told you, Shiki," said Rika, getting ready in a receiving spot. "Once I've seen a move…it doesn't work on me any longer. I've already seen your Whirlwind Smash several times…" She raised her racquet to receive the ball as it soared towards her. "…it doesn't work on me any longer…!" And she returned the ball directly to the baseline on Shiki's side of the court.

"As expected of Rikkaidai's next year number one," muttered Shiraishi. "And to think that she even returned it directly atop the baseline. If Shinderui-kun doesn't think of a way to beat her, he'll lose this."

"S-She's strong," muttered Kawamura in disbelief. "This is unbelievable. She's improved tremendously within a few months' time to _this _level?! Just what had she been doing to herself?!"

"So this is…Echizen Rika?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Are you done already, Shiki?"

"Not…yet…!"

Rika narrowed her eyes as she saw the aura surrounding Shiki before it moved to his left arm, and she frowned, recognising that technique immediately.

'_The second door? Hyakuren Jitoku no Kiwaimi? He's achieved that door too? All the power of the Muga gathered within his arm…it's a technique that minimizes fatigue while it doubles both the power and spin of the return. But…'_

Rika returned the ball with a straight cross, the ball landing behind Shiki.

"15-40!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku! Three games to love!"_

"It's no good…" muttered Kawamura, gripping the railings with both hands. "No matter what move…no matter whose move he uses, it's simply not strong enough."

"That girl…Echizen Rika…just what is she?"

**

* * *

**"Rika has a reason that she can't lose," said Kevin grimly. "The same reason just why Krauser continued playing tennis."

"It's true that the freshman had matured a lot ever since we'd last faced him in a match," said Sanada solemnly. "The techniques of the opponents that he's met. From above the heights of their strength…one by one, he's understood them all. But…"

Yukimura smirked. "Rika…has already gained the right to lead Rikkaidai next year," he said. "That girl…she's already on my level…and it's possible that she might have even surpassed me by now…"

"It's coming," said Kevin with a smirk, causing all the Rikkaidai's freshmen to turn towards him. The blonde rested his chin on his palm. "Rika's tennis."

**

* * *

**"Shinderui!"

"Oi! Are you alright?!"

"Huh?" Shiki turned towards his teammates, blinking in confusion. "What?"

"Your nose!" Kikumaru shouted. "It's bleeding!"

"Huh?" Shiki reached up to touch his nose only to see blood on his fingertips. "…I didn't even notice."

**

* * *

**"The 'yips' reaction," said Marui grimly. "This match is as good as over now. Rika will begin shutting down his senses. She's gotten it under full control now."

**

* * *

**"Inoue-san, what is that?" asked Momoshiro, turning towards the reporter in question.

"I've heard rumours about her performance in the US Open," said Inoue grimly. "I never thought that it actually turned out to be true. After the preliminaries in the US Open, Echizen Rika got one hundred percent straight wins in all her matches…even against the top professionals. I don't know what that girl did as training for the US Open, but rumours stated that playing against her…causes you to lose your senses. The only other person who can do the same thing that she can is the captain of Rikkaidai Fuzoku, Yukimura Seiichi. The name 'Ice Princess' isn't just for show."

**

* * *

**"Kin-chan…? Is that…?"

"Y-Yeah," said Kintarou, nodding meekly. "It only appeared slightly during my match against her. It only happened for a split second, but just for a second, I couldn't see, hear or feel anything! That's why I only managed to get three games against her!"

"Can't see, hear or feel anything…?" echoed Oshitari Kenya.

"That sounds just like the 'yips'!" said Chitose in shock. "And you're saying that both Echizen and Yukimura have this ability?!"

"Yeah," said Kintarou, nodding. "Although the Rikkaidai boss-man seems to have a more polished version of the 'yips'. But Koshimae…her 'yips' is slightly different. She attacks the five senses and the mind directly."

"An ability like that…!" muttered Shiraishi. "Only that girl and Yukimura can use it, I guess. As expected of Rikkaidai's next year's number one."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"O-Oi…" muttered Kite Eishirou in disbelief as everyone watched Shinderui Shiki tripped over his own feet on the courts, all his five senses having been taken away one by one. "Is this really the guy who had beaten us all at ease?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

'_What am I doing? Just what am I doing here in the first place? That's right. The Nationals… But I can't see, hear or even feel anything… What am I going to do…? Nii-san…?'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_Ne Shiki. If you truly are a tennis player, you will never give up…even if all your senses have been shut down. If you recall your days of hard training, this is nothing."_

"_That is—"_

"_Shiki. Are you afraid? Of Rikkaidai Fuzoku?"_

"_Not really…"_

"_They're strong, aren't they? But so are you."_

"_Nii-san…"_

"_The ultimate door…Teni Muhou no Kiwami…what is that? Shiki, you already know it, don't you? It exists within yourself…and everyone else. Search it within yourself…and you can find…"_

**

* * *

**_The Teni Muhou…_

A flash of aura exploded from Shiki's initial direction, and Rika almost groaned when she recognised it. _'This guy has to be the luckiest person that I've ever had the grace to meet! He actually achieved the final sealed door in the __**middle of a match**__ when I have to train my ass off for __**months **__just to achieve the final sealed door?!'_

"This is…" muttered Chitose, his eyes wide. "The final sealed door? Teni Muhou no Kiwami?"

'_What a lucky guy!' _Rika growled as she readied herself. _'But we'll see if you can control it or not, Shinderui Shiki.'_

Her eyes widened as she heard the tell-tale signs of a ball whizzing past her and turned only to see the ball rolling towards the back of the court, her eyes wide. _'W-What?'_

"W-What is that?" Yagyuu blinked.

"Referee. Are you going to call that?"

The startled referee blinked. "Um well…" He turned towards the scorekeepers. "Monitor! Get a good shot!"

The person in charge of the monitor rewind the tape before checking if the shot is indeed in before shouting to the referee. "It's in!"

"15-15!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Oh? He's finally unlocked it?"

All Seigaku regulars blinked and turned to see a teen around Ryoga's age walking down the stairs towards their bleachers, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jeans, looking at the match with interest. He looked rather like an older version of Shiki.

Ryoga smirked, seeing his best friend. "Shirai."

"Yo Ryoga," said Shirai, nodding to his friend.

"Who's he?"

"Shinderui Shirai," answered Ryoga. "Shiki's older brother, and my classmate at Tokyo University. He's one of the best tennis players that I've ever known, and he had even been made an offer to go pro even before graduating from high school."

"I see," said Momoshiro. "It's because Shinderui's got that kind of background that—"

"It's not like that, kid," interrupted Shirai, plopping himself down on one of the seats. "The Teni Muhou…it never existed in the first place." He smirked at the Seigaku regulars' dumbfounded looks. "Ryoga, you know this as well…as do your sister." He clasped his hands behind his head. "The Teni Muhou actually existed in everyone. The first time that you played tennis…the enjoyment that comes from it…that feeling… And no matter how much you lost, you still enjoyed playing tennis. _That _is the Teni Muhou."

"The first time we played tennis…?" Kaidoh repeated slowly.

"The feeling…"

Shirai smirked. "As time goes by, we would forget that feeling," he said. "But those that recalls it…will achieve the final sealed door – the Teni Muhou no Kiwami – and rising above their limits."

"Who do you think will win?" asked Ryoga, turning towards Shirai.

"Who knows?" asked Shirai with a shrug. "I've taught Shiki the best that I could…minus the accident that we have in the mountains… Your kid sister isn't too bad as well. I guess it all comes down to who has the better determination and will."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_Game! Seishun Gakuen's Shinderui! Four games all!"_

Rika growled, eyeing the ball rolling away before she straightened herself up. "I can't believe that I actually have to use this against you…" she growled before an aura surrounded her before exploding outwards, and everyone present shielded their eyes.

"That is…!" muttered Yanagi, his eyes opened. "It can't be…!"

Yukimura smiled proudly. "Teni Muhou no Kiwami," he said. "So she's achieved it."

"You might have unlocked the final sealed door, Shinderui Shiki," said Rika, growling below her breath. "But have you _mastered _it?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Echizen! Five games to four!"_

"Just one more game…" muttered Yukimura, not realising that he's gripping the sides of his arms tightly. "Come on, Rika! End this! Take Rikkaidai's third consecutive victory at the Nationals with your own hands!"

Rika panted, the auras from both players on the courts not diminishing in the slightest. "I can't believe that you've pushed me to use this…Shinderui Shiki," she said before dropping the ball that she's holding to the ground, and before it could hit the court, she hit a powerful slice upwards, forcing the ball to go forward with tremendous speed towards Shiki's initial direction, but the ball curved and went upwards just before her side of the net before sailing into the air and falling back to the baseline on Shiki's side of the court, the ball still spinning in it's spot before flying back towards Rika who caught the ball with her right hand.

"Moon Serve."

"15-0!"

Rika panted. "Really, this is not a joke," she said. "To have pushed _me _this far." She gripped the ball in her hand. "Let's use a normal serve now, shall we?"

And Rika served.

Shiki returned a fast return before he froze at the look in Rika's eyes – the girl had not given up yet. Rika smirked as she stood in a strange posture, moving the face of her racquet upwards before hitting a powerful slice, and the ball shot towards Shiki's side of the court before seeming to appear in several directions at once and slid on the ground. Shiki ran to receive it, and Kevin smirked.

"It's no use. Rika's Hahonryu…is impossible to break."

Shiki's eyes widened as the ball disappeared just before he could reach it, and a split second later, appeared behind him, the ball rolling towards the lower wall of the bleachers.

"Hahonryu (Destruction Vortex)."

"30-0!"

**

* * *

**"That Hahonryu…" said Fuji slowly. "It uses both top spin and under-spin, isn't it?"

"That's impossible!"

"No, Fujiko is right," said Kikumaru grimly. "It first becomes a top spin…then became an under spin… As expected from Rikkaidai's next year's number one."

**

* * *

**Rika served a normal Twist Serve before Shiki received it with no problem, and Rika smirked before returning the shot, Shiki returning it, feeling that the ball is a little strange.

"That ball…" said Rika with a smirk. "…won't go over the net."

"Fault! 40-0! Match point!"

Kevin smirked. "Naiya Funjin (Diamond Dust)," he said. "Rika's bringing it all out…her trump cards…the new moves that she's created during her time participating in the US Open that she's reserved for the Nationals."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"That is…Marui Bunta's Jikansa Jigoku (Time Differential Hell)!"

"Don't underestimate me!" Shiki growled before racing up to the net and returning the ball before it touches the ground, resulting it in a lob.

Rika smirked before returning the ball by smashing it, the ball hitting against the rope that tied the net to the post before it split into half, and both halves of the ball fell on either side of a stunned Shiki.

"The last of my five new moves," said Rika, panting heavily. "Samurai Drive."

"_Game and match! Game won by Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Echizen! Six games to four!"_

"Rika!" cheered Kirihara, leaping off the railings, much to Jackal's alarm.

"Oi, Akaya!"

Yukimura was smiling, and Sanada had a faint hint of a smile on his face before it faded away. "She did it, Yukimura," said the fukubuchou, watching the other members of their team, along with Riku and Sora, running towards Rika, Marui ruffling her hair. "That girl…she changed us ever since her arrival into our team. We don't play for the sake of winning anymore because…"

"Aa," said Yukimura with a nod, smiling. "We play…because it's fun." He chuckled, looking at Sanada. "Let's go, Genichirou. We're Japan's number one."

Ryoga smiled. "She did it," he said, proud of his sister. "She really did it. Against Shiki who is quite possibly the most difficult opponent for her in this tournament…she actually won."

Shirai smiled proudly. "Shiki did well too," he said.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Congratulations, Rika," said Shiki, holding out a hand which Rika took. "If there's an opportunity, let's compete again." He smiled. "You're indeed amazing. The next time we faced each other in the courts again, it will be when I've fully mastered the Teni Muhou no Kiwami."

Rika smiled. "It'll be my pleasure," she said.

**

* * *

**Atobe smiled. "You did it, Rika-chan," he said before turning towards his teammates. "I'm starting the party. Let's go, everyone."

Oshitari smiled. "He's going at his own pace as usual," he said, before tagging along after his captain.

**

* * *

**"Next year, the ones standing there will be us, St. Rudolph," said Mizuki, watching the schools of Rikkaidai, Seigaku, Nadoya and Tsubakikawa standing on the courts for the closing ceremony for the National tournament, receiving their medals and trophies.

"Mizuki-san, you're a senior, so there's no 'next year' for you," muttered Yuuta.

"Did you say something, Yuuta-kun?"

"N-Nothing."

**

* * *

**"Next up is your turn," said Sengoku, turning towards Dan Taichi. "I'll be looking forward to it."

"Hai!"

**

* * *

**"Man, I'm hungry," said Tachibana, leading his team out of the tennis courts. "Shall we go and get something to eat?"

"Seconded!" said Kami happily, pumping a fist in the air. "This is just the start, right, Tachibana-san?"

"I didn't say it was over yet."

**

* * *

**"The picnic is so fun! Where are we going next?"

"That wasn't a picnic!" said Saeki in amusement at the Rokkaku's captain.

**

* * *

**"Hurry up!" Kite Eishirou shouted at his team, all rushing out of the tennis courts. "If we continue like this, we'll miss our last ride to Okinawa!"

"You get too many snacks!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Krauser bowed his head in thanks as the organiser of the National tournament placed the medal around his neck, and he looked at Rika who smiled at him, nodding.

'_Let's have a game again sometime soon,' _thought Krauser to himself.

Tezuka stepped forward and took the runner-up's plaque politely, looking at it carefully before turning back to his own team. _'We may not have won, but it's better than what I had expected,' _he thought, looking at Shiki. _'The pillar of Seigaku…he's growing extremely well.'_

Yukimura stepped up to take the flag which is the symbol of the champion of the National tournament – the number one school in Japan.

Seika smiled from her place beside Riku and Sora in the bleachers before looking towards Rika's initial direction. _'Can I play like Rika-sempai? Sometime in the future? Will I be as good as her in the future?'_

Rika smiled as Yukimura caught her eye, and he smiled back at her.

'_Rika, embrace your dreams.'_

'_I did, Yuki,' _thought Rika. _'I've finally moved on. I've fulfilled our promise. Now…it's the start of a new beginning.'_

* * *

_A/N: One of the longest chapters that I've ever done. Next chapter will probably be the last chapter for this arc before I start writing the start of Rika's sophomore year in Rikkaidai. This **isn't **the last chapter for this story, just the last chapter for this arc. I'll be continuing the story until Rika is in college or something, depending on how I take this story. Also, some of Kevin's story may be coming out soon, and regarding the new members of Rikkaidai's regulars…be prepared for A LOT of OCs._

_Also, I've gotten a few questions about Rika's tennis moves, so I'll be listing it all down below:_

_Twist Serve – a serve that spins on the ground before bouncing upwards towards the face of the opponent_

_Split Step – a special step that allows Rika to be faster than usual_

_Cyclone Smash – an extremely powerful smash which none have been able to return as of yet_

_Tornado Spin – a return which requires extreme power which spins like a tornado_

_Whirlpool Serve – a fairly powerful serve which requires a lot of power, and which spins like a whirlpool on the opponent's court before bouncing upwards_

_Tightrope Walking – a copy of Marui's move which the ball will land atop the net before travelling along it and dropping to the opponent's side of the court_

_Metal Pole Hit – a copy of Marui's move which causes the ball to hit the metal pole of the net and landing in the opponent's side of the court_

_Time Difference Hell – a copy of Marui's move in which the ball will land near the sideline of the court before landing atop the net and travelling along it before dropping into the opponent's side of the net_

_Illusion – a copy of Kevin's move in which it acts as a return, and which will seemingly split in several dozen balls at once, nearly impossible to return_

_Phantom Ball – a technique which can only work on left-handers and which acts as a return in which the ball will first land on one side of the opponent before disappearing in seemingly multiple balls, and appearing once more on the opponent's other side. It's only able to be used in a singles match_

_Moon Return – a move which requires Rika to hit a powerful slice as a return, before the ball will move upwards before her side of the net and landing atop the baseline of the opponent's court before returning to her right hand. Only usable if the wind's direction is in Rika's favour_

_Moon Serve – similar to Moon Return, only that it functions as a serve_

_Naiya Fuunjin – a return with a great deal of spin applied to it so that the opponent's return is unable to go over the net_

_Cool Drive – a return which has no bounce once it landed on the opponent's side of the court_

_Samurai Drive – a return which effectively splits the ball in half_

_Also, I have some new stories coming up. Vote and tell me which ones you liked. Also, I hope that you like this chapter, and please read and review!_

**Upcoming Stories:**

_**Cold Blue Ice (Naruto)**_

_FemNaru. The king of Soul Society has given the order to investigate and stop the source of whatever is causing the Hollow imbalances in the spirit world. For the first time in history, squad Zero's captain and vice-captain – Namikaze Shiki and Nara Shikamaru – the leaders of the Royal Guard were sent down on a long-term undercover assignment to Soul Society and the mortal world to investigate the cause of the Hollow uncertainties. Start from Past Arc. Naruto/Bleach crossover_

_**My Sister, My Protector (Naruto)**_

_AU OC story. What if Naruto had an older sister there for him throughout his childhood in Konoha who protected and brought him up? But even with both their heritages brought out into the open, things aren't so simple…_ _Itachi/Narumi. Naruto/FemHaku_

_**Black Blood (Naruto)**_

_FemNaru vampire fic. Vampires are very much real, though they do not show themselves to the humans much, and even if they do, they usually tend to disguise themselves. When Nara Shikamaru and his friends - trainee hunters from the Church - run into a vampire - Namikaze Shiki – all the beliefs and teachings that they were taught at the Church soon turned topsy turvy, and they soon found that the truth is more than reaches the eye, and were soon dragged into the war between Light and Dark. Shika/FemNaru_

_**Will of Fire (Naruto)**_

_FemNaru. The war with Sound is getting out of hand, and Leaf-nins were getting killed left and right. Desperate to at least save whatever lives that she could save, Tsunade used a jutsu in order to send one Namikaze Shiki to a different dimension where a former Leaf kunoichi resides…by the name of Kagero. Naruto/Flame of Recca crossover_

_**Serenity's End (Naruto)**_

_FemNaru. On the day of the Kyuubi attack when the Yondaime sealed the demon into his child, he beseeched the Kyuubi – a friend of his – in order to protect his child and to send her to the world where Kyuubi came from. Now years later, Namikaze Shiki is one of Shinra's best, being the protégé of Sephiroth himself, but things aren't so simple as Shinra seemed to be planning something for them…_ _Start from Crisis Core arc. Naruto/Final Fantasy 7 crossover_

_**He Loves Me, She Loves Me Not (Prince of Tennis)**_

_AU FemRyo. After being enrolled in Shiseiten Academy – a school for the elites, Echizen Rika met a boy in school whom she had fallen for instantly. However, much to her dismay, her father then announced that she's to be engaged to some boy. Little did Rika and the mysterious fiancée realise that the person whom they are supposed to be engaged to is the same person whom they had met and fallen for at school. Yukimura/FemRyo_

_**A New Family, A New Life (Harry Potter)**_

_AU FemHarry. What if Voldemort did die during the attack at Godric Hollow when Lily and James Potter killed him mere moments before breathing their last? Refusing to allow Dumbledore to place Hailey with the Dursleys, Frank and Alice Longbottom took Hailey in instead so that she can have a family. Cedric/FemHarry_

_**A New Life (Harry Potter)**_

_FemHarry. Upon finding out that Hailey Potter was the only granddaughter of Anotonio de Vareth – the vampire king himself – and that Draco was her cousin, Severus Snape finally had enough of Dumbledore's manipulations and secretly took both Hailey and Draco away with Remus's help where they settled down in the quiet town of Forks to escape the wizarding world and the war. Twilight/HP crossover_

_**Twilight Dawn (Harry Potter)**_

_FemHarry. Having had enough of seeing Hailey being abused at the hands of her relatives, Ron and Hermione both broke her out of her relatives' house and decided to flee to another place where Dumbledore could not find them…in the small rainy town of Forks. Twilight/HP crossover_

_**He Loves Me, She Loves Me Not (Fullmetal Alchemist)**_

_AU FemEd. What if the events in Fullmetal Alchemist had never happened, and Ed is really a girl by the name of Evelyn? When Alphonse Elric, one of the State's youngest alchemists was injured during a mission, Roy Mustang, his superior officer, has no choice but to contact his nearest kin – Al's mentioned-but-never-seen-before elder sister – Evelyn Elric. Roy/Ed_

(1) I'm not sure if Japan has a National tournament for music competitions, but they do in my story.

(2) Because I'm making Kirihara seal away his Devil Tennis in this story, he won't be keeping his violent play style after the American Goodwill Games.


	33. Onsen Trip

Sorry for the late update! I've been _really _busy recently, and can't find the time to update ANY of my stories. Anyway, to answer a few questions, no, this story is not at it's end yet. I'll be writing Rika's sophomore year in Rikkaidai, and that means be prepared for A LOT of OCs to make their appearances. Also, yes, I did think of making Rika and Yukimura go pro, but on the other hand, if you look at it logically, Rika and Yukimura can't make tennis their career their entire lives, and they need a degree of some sort to settle down in a stable job once their tennis career ends, so unless someone has an idea of some sort to allow them both to go to college AND go pro at the same time, I'll probably not let them go pro until after college or something.

And regarding The New Prince of Tennis series, yes, I've read that too, but when I started writing this story, I had made drafts and layouts of the entire story so that it flows together smoothly, and if I add in The New Prince of Tennis arc into this story, it'll ruin the entire thing, so I apologise for that! Anyway, this chapter will be the last chapter of Rika's freshman year before I move onto her sophomore year the next chapter!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but I do own the OC characters

* * *

**Chapter Thirty Three: Onsen Trip**

It was a beautiful day at Rikkaidai Fuzoku.

The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and the beautiful autumn leaves were falling from the several trees growing in the school grounds of Rikkaidai Fuzoku, signalling the near end of the autumn season, giving way to the winter season. It was a beautiful sight to contemplate, and all the students of Rikkaidai Fuzoku were gathered on the school grounds, enjoying their last day at school together.

That day was a significant day to all at Rikkaidai Fuzoku. For the freshmen and sophomores, it was the end of another school year, and they would soon be returning to the school the next school year as sophomores and seniors. And as for the seniors, they've received their graduation diplomas and would be going to high school to carve a new path into their future.

Several of the teachers of Rikkaidai Fuzoku…usually so strict, were now all happily chatting with their graduated students like they were all old friends, and several of the younger students were asking several of their male sempais for one of the buttons off their school uniform as a good luck charm. It's a fairly old and traditional custom of all Japanese students in Japan to receive a button on the last day of school for luck or good fortune, some symbolizing friendship, though some button receivers received their buttons for a deeper and special meaning…

Unsurprisingly, Rika had came in as top student for the entire freshman level, with Riku and Sora tying together in second place just behind her. The school's principal, Yoshizawa Tsutomu, was an extremely happy and proud man that year as he can have the tennis National tournament's trophy be displayed in his office once again…along with the tournament trophy from the Musical Nationals.

The valedictorian that year was none other than Rikkaidai Fuzoku's honoured student as well as top student that year, Yukimura Seiichi. Kirihara had somehow managed to get a decent grade for his exams as well, thanks to the constant coaching that Rika and Kevin kept giving him during the preparation for their final examinations.

The entire regular tennis team had opted to enter Rikkaidai High – the sister school to Rikkaidai Fuzoku – and which first priority into high school entrance exams were given to former students of Rikkaidai Fuzoku. Needless to say, the entire tennis team had managed to get into Rikkaidai High which was located a few streets away from Rikkaidai Fuzoku.

"Congratulations, Seiichi," said Rika with a small smile under the sakura tree somewhere at the back of the school.

"Arigato," said Yukimura, smiling his ever eternal smile before yanking off the top button of his uniform and snapping the fragile threads and giving it to Rika. "Here."

"Thank you," said Rika, slipping the button into her pocket. "I'm surprised that your fangirls hadn't jumped you yet and tried to take the buttons off your uniform."

Yukimura chuckled. "Huhuhuhuhuhu! Oh, they tried. But it didn't go too well." He chuckled evilly, and Rika blinked and decided wisely not to pursue that matter for the sake of her sanity. "Where are Riku, Sora and Kevin, by the way? I thought that they'll be with you especially since we'll be holding our final team meeting today to name our successors."

Rika turned away to hide a smile. "Well…"

**

* * *

**"WHOSE BRIGHT IDEA IS IT FOR CRAZY MORBID FANGIRLS TO ATTEMPT TO RAPE US AND TO TAKE THE BUTTONS OFF OUR UNIFORMS ON THE LAST DAY OF THE SCHOOL YEAR???!!!" Riku yelled to Sora as they ran down the hallways of the school, Kevin just ahead of them. Surprisingly, the blonde can be pretty fast when he wants to be.

"SHUT UP AND KEEP RUNNING!!!" Sora yelled back at his best friend as he tried putting in more space between himself and some of their crazy fangirls. Now he understood what his sempai in the photography club meant by saying that the last day of school is usually the craziest of the year.

"RIKU-SAAAAMMMMAA!!"

"SORA-KUN!!"

"KE~VIN!!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Team training for the tennis club that day went quite smoothly. All the players – even the non-regulars – performed at their best, and when Yukimura called for an end to that day's training – the last training for that year – neither Sanada nor Yanagi had anything negative to say, which like what Marui had pointed out, was a first.

The sun was nearly setting when team training had ended for the day, and all the players of the tennis team were all eagerly waiting for their captain and vice-captain to name their successors of the tennis team. Everyone knew that it will be Rika and Kirihara as the two were the only ones left of the tennis team who would be returning the next year as regulars, but everyone was curious as to which position they would be taking in the team next year.

Sanada stepped out first from his place beside Yukimura. "Once again, Rikkaidai had managed to clinch a victory for the third consecutive time at the Nationals this year," said the stoic vice-captain. "Good work for that. But as everyone knew, this will be the last training session for most of us as most of us will be going to high school next year. But regardless, I expect every one of you to keep up Rikkaidai's winning streak. Now, we'll be naming the captain and vice-captain for next year." The entire court fell silent. "Regardless of age, gender or size, I expect every single one of you to give them the same respect that you've given myself and Yukimura from the time when we took on the roles of captaincy and vice-captaincy of the team." Sanada then cleared his throat. "For the vice-captain of the team for next year, I choose Echizen Rika."

There was a round of applause from the team, and Rika bowed her head in polite acceptance. The girl was fairly popular with the tennis team as despite being a girl, she's good enough to beat half the regulars in the tennis team in their own game, though most of the non-regulars were actually secretly hoping for Rika to be captain for a reason that none could comprehend.

"As for next year's captain, I choose Kirihara Akaya," said Yukimura with his ever gentle smile, and there was a round of applause from everyone present. Though Yukimura knew, like everyone in the regular team does, that though Kirihara did command some respect from the team, most of the non-regulars were still quite wary of him because of his 'Devil Tennis' before Rika had helped him to seal it away. Rika is the only one between them both who could really keep the team in order, but because she's a freshman and a girl, furthermore, she could only be the vice-captain. "And with that, team training is dismissed for the day."

Rika and Kirihara then exchanged looks between them both before nodding, and Kirihara stepped out from his place, and the entire court fell silent. "Sempai-tachi, sorry. But before you leave the club to both of us…we have a gift for you."

"Huh?"

"Please watch our match," said Kirihara, gesturing towards himself and Rika. "The final one that you'll see between us as a Rikkaidai regular."

Marui blinked and blinked before Yukimura smiled. "Okay," he said. "It'll be interesting."

**

* * *

**Nearly the entire club were all gathered outside the courts that Rika and Kirihara will be using, and the regulars were all looking on with interest. Yanagi had his pen and notebook in his hand – probably the last piece of data that he'll be collecting on his kouhais before he'll be going to high school.

"Rika and Akaya, huh?" mused Jackal. "What do you think?"

"Well, in terms of power and strength, they're both about equal," said Yanagi reasonably. "But when it comes to speed and vision…Rika surpasses Akaya, and even Niou by now. That girl is the kind of tennis player that you can only find once every ten years…maybe even longer."

Everyone watched as Rika got first service before both players went to their individual serving and receiving positions on the courts before Rika threw the ball up in the air and served.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The sun had nearly disappeared by the time Kirihara entered the tennis clubroom, lugging a water container of the water dispenser with him – the sophomore being the one whose duty is to the change the water dispenser that week. Most of the non-regulars have already gone home, and only the regulars are left.

Rika was seated on the bench next to the water dispenser, reading a tennis book of some sort whilst the seniors were all clearing out their lockers in the tennis clubroom for the usage of the regulars for next year's team.

Kirihara glanced over at Rika before removing the empty container of the water dispenser before cleaning it out properly. "Ne Rika, have you thought about how we are going to select the regulars for next year?" he asked, cleaning the neck of the container of the water dispenser properly, since if they don't clean it properly, everyone who drank from the water dispenser might have water contamination problems.

"I have a few options," said Rika, not looking up from her book. "One is that we do what Seigaku do every year – ranking matches. Or we can just scout from the players that we have, and have those few play against us to see how they do."

"Well, we'll think about it when the time comes," mumbled Kirihara absent-mindedly. "We have the year-end holidays to think about it…" The sophomore absent-mindedly unscrewed the top of the new container without checking to see if the rubber lining was screwed on tightly and turned it upside down to screw it into the water dispenser before he felt the rubber lining gave way and a huge rush of water gushed out from the container, most of the contents splashing onto his kouhai who was just sitting on the bench next to the water dispenser, effectively drenching her in water from head to toe.

Kirihara's eye twitched nervously as he watched Rika twitched dangerously, holding her water soaked book, drenched in water from head to toe, and just when she's just changed into her school uniform too. The other regulars watched on in amusement, wondering what is going to happen next.

"Uh oh…"

"Ki-ri-ha-ra…" growled Rika, turning dangerous looking eyes towards the frightened boy. "Did I say that I want a bath?! Or do I look like I _need _a bath to you?!"

"S-Sorry!" yelped Kirihara before bolting out of the clubroom with Rika hot on his heels.

"Funny that Rika should say something like that," said Yukimura with his ever eternal smile, and the rest of the team turned towards him. "I received a phone call from Atobe last night, inviting the entire regular team to the hot springs at a mountain resort which is owned by his family. Apparently, he had also invited Fudomine and Seigaku as well."

"_Hot springs??!!"_

**

* * *

**"Come on, Kirihara didn't do it on purpose." Kevin was still laughing an hour later as the pair arrived home, opening the door of the Echizen residence, announcing their arrivals home. "He had already apologised."

"Shut up!" snapped Rika, still dripping wet as she headed back to her room, dripping droplets of water the entire way there, Karupin mewing and following his mistress back to her room.

"Did something happen to Rika?" asked Nanako, an amused look on her face as she stared at the departing back of her fuming cousin. "And why is she wet? Did she fell into the swimming pool?"

Kevin tried to stifle his laughter. "Close," was all that he said.

"By the way, you have a letter," said Nanako. "It seems to be from your family lawyer in America. And Billy called earlier when you're still in school. He said something about being unable to get through to your phone, and told you to check your mail as soon as possible. He sounded weird when he said that though."

"Thank you, Nanako," said Kevin as he took the letter on the mantelpiece that was addressed to him, bearing an official looking seal from the lawyer's office of his family lawyer, before deciding to read it later, wanting to know just what Billy had said in the mail that he's sent to him.

The sounds of water running could be heard from the shower as Kevin returned to his room, throwing his bag on his bed and turning on his computer and waiting for the screen to load before a pop-up message appeared on his screen, complete with the mail icon on it, saying, 'You've got one new message!'

Kevin frowned before he clicked on the mail icon, and his email inbox was immediately brought up, and he immediately saw that Billy had sent him an email, with the exclamation mark on it, signifying that it must be of some importance, and immediately opened the mail.

Kevin's eyes widened in horror as he read the email that Billy had sent to him, reading and re-reading it two times to make sure that he hadn't read wrong before ripping open the envelope of the letter that his family lawyer had sent to him before reading the contents, and the blonde sighed, leaning back into his chair.

'_Well…damn.'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The entire Rikkaidai regular team met at the train station of Kanagawa a week later for the onsen trip, all with a travel bag each with them. Ann had given Rika a call the night before, informing her that she'll be tagging along with her brother's team as well so that Rika can have some female company for a change instead of hanging about with boys all the time.

The entire team was early for a change, and Yukimura had brought his sister and an unknown dark haired boy with him who looks a lot like him with dark blue hair and sapphire eyes. "This is my cousin, Haruki," explained Yukimura, reading the looks that his team were giving the boy with him. "He'll be attending Rikkaidai next year as a sophomore as his family is moving, and I thought that he should get to know Kevin and the others so that he'll know some people once he actually starts school."

"Riku and Sora can't come with us. Pity though. They'll get along fine with him," said Rika with a smile at Haruki, one which he fully returned.

"Well, we've got the tickets," said Yanagi. "Let's go. The train's here."

Kevin, Rika, Haruki and Seika tagged along after the older teens, the two hanging back a little to talk with Yukimura's cousin and sister. "So you're moving to Kanagawa, Haruki?" asked Kevin with interest.

Haruki nodded. "Just call me Haru," he said. "Everyone does. My father got a promotion to this part of Japan, and I'll be attending Rikkaidai next year since that's Seiichi-niisan's old school, and Seika will be attending as a freshman as well."

Seika coughed to disguise her laughter. "You failed to mention that niisan 'requested' you to join the tennis club especially since both you and my brother are tennis freaks," she said.

Rika and Kevin raised an eyebrow each at Haru as they entered the train and the doors shut. Haru looked extremely embarrassed as he explained. "Er…Seiichi-niisan practically…_forced _me to join the tennis team, since he thinks that I might have a good chance at becoming a regular. I made as a reserve in the regular tennis team at the last school that I was in," he said sheepishly. "Seiichi-niisan muttered something about keeping fan-boys off his girlfriend."

Rika sighed. "Seiichi is a little too paranoid, isn't he?" she muttered, and Kevin, Haru and Seika laughed.

"For sure."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The teams of Fudomine, Hyotei and Seigaku were at the lobby of the mountain resort by the time that the Rikkaidai team arrived after having taken a bus ride to the resort after alighting from the train. The team captains of the teams – Tachibana, Atobe and Tezuka – were doing the registration for their team members and getting the room keys.

Gakuto and Kikumaru were arguing.

And so are Momoshiro and Kaidoh.

Oishi and Kawamura were trying to stop them.

Inui's glasses were glinting, a notebook in his hands as he acted 'referee' for Momoshiro and Kaidoh.

Shiki was ignoring everything and everyone around him by reading a novel of some sort.

Shishido and Ohtori were talking about something.

Oshitari was on the phone with his cousin.

Kabaji was carrying all of Atobe's bags.

Shinji was mumbling something beneath his breath.

Kamio was blushing a little, stuttering, as he entered into a conversation with Ann.

Kevin and Rika exchanged looks and sighed as one.

This is going to be a long week.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The rest of the boys were sharing rooms with two or three to one room. But as Ann, Rika and Seika were the only girls there, they shared a room between them, with Kevin and Haru having the room next to theirs.

And so, close to nightfall that night can find the three girls enjoying an outdoor bath, all three of them enjoying some female company for a change instead of hanging around boys all the time. Don't get them wrong. They liked their friends very much. But there are several things that they can't talk about with boys, and several things that their male friends simply can't understand.

"It feels nice…" Ann said with a sigh as a slight breeze blew past them. "The boys may be nice, but ditching them for some female company for a change is a pleasant change."

The night sky was dotted with millions of glittery silver stars, shining like diamonds on a black velvety surface, with the moon hanging like a lamp in the sky.

"I agree," said Seika with a nod of her head.

"We hang around boys so often that we're hard pressed to find ourselves a boyfriend without losing one of our close friends," said Ann with a laugh. "You're lucky, Rika. Yukimura-san is so sweet to you, and he's the dream boyfriend of every girl out there."

"I wonder…"

Both girls turned towards Rika just then.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Ann, sitting upright and looking at her friend.

"Even when he was still in Rikkaidai, I see plenty of girls throwing themselves at him," said Rika. "They only didn't do anything more because of me, and because they knew that Riku and Sora, as well as the entire freshman level and the tennis club as a whole would retaliate against them. With him in high school now, I wonder… Would our relationship even last?"

"Don't worry," said Ann confidently. "From what I know of Yukimura-san, I'm sure that he won't do anything to hurt you. He's not that kind of guy. Besides, I know for sure that he really likes you."

"That's right," said Seika with a nod. "This may sound weird for me to say, but my brother is a really good guy, and he really likes you. And if he does anything to hurt you, he won't hear the end of it from my parents. They both like you. You know that, Rika-sempai."

"That's right," said Ann. "You're worrying too much."

"I heard that there's a festival in the town today," said Seika, changing the subject to something more cheerful. "How about we go to the festival later?"

Rika's sharp hearing caught the sound of something or someone that ought not to be there, and she twitched dangerously, pulling up the towel wrapped around her body. "Yeah. But before that…" She grabbed the tub not too far from her just then before throwing up hot water from the hot springs that they were in only to drench both Kevin and Kirihara with the water, causing them both to fall backwards and landed in the springs on their side with a loud splash and a yell. "…peeping toms should stay out of the women's baths!"

**

* * *

**"I said that I'm sorry already!" whined Kevin an hour later as he tagged along after a furious Rika at the festival in town, trying to apologise, with a sighing Haruki, and a rather amused Ann and Seika on either side of him.

"That's why I told you to ignore Kirihara," said Haru with a sigh. "It serves you right, Kevin."

"I'm sorry, Rika!" whined Kevin.

Rika spun around and pointed an accusing finger at Kevin. "Wait till I tells Mum about this!" she threatened. "If I didn't know any better, I'll think that you've been reading some of those smut that oyaji calls literature!"

Kevin blanched. "Er…well…"

Rika glared suspiciously at Kevin. "You hadn't been reading those…_have you?"_

"No!" said Kevin a little too quickly.

There was light laughter just then, and Rika turned to see Yukimura standing behind her. "Come on, forgive him already," he said. "I don't think that they really meant to do it. I'm sure that Kevin's already learned his lesson, and Akaya sure had. _Don't you, Akaya?" _

Kirihara looked positively frightened as Yukimura smiled his angelic smile and nodded his head so quickly that Rika was surprised that he didn't get whiplash.

"Let's go, Rika," said Yukimura, taking her hand and leading her someplace else. "The fireworks are starting soon, and I know a place where we can get a good view."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was late by the time that Yukimura walked Rika back to the room that she shared with Ann and Seika, and the hallways of the inn were deserted.

"Ne Seiichi." Yukimura turned towards Rika. "Promise me that nothing will change between us?"

Yukimura smiled and nodded before pulling Rika close to him and pressing his lips against hers for a kiss before both broke away. "I'll see you in the morning," said Yukimura. "Good night."

Rika nodded with a smile. "Goodnight."

She then opened the door of her room and stepped in before closing the door behind her, seeing Ann and Seika already on their beds, the former reading a book of some sort whilst the latter was listening to some music.

Rika's phone rang just then, and she immediately fished it out of her pocket and answered it. "Moshi moshi?"

"_Rika? It's me."_

Rika blinked and stared at the screen of her phone before seeing the name of the person on it and pressed her ear back to the receiver of her phone. _"Krauser? What are you calling me for?"_

"_Two things actually. American's authorities just gave me a phone call a few hours earlier, informing me that my family have been arrested after a CD containing evidence of their misdeeds somehow mysteriously found it's hands to one of the world's best lawyers, and I've been cleared of all blame, and my family would be behind bars for a long __**long **__time."_

Rika laughed. _"That's good," _she said, sitting down on her bed. _"So what's the other thing?"_

There was silence for a while before Krauser spoke up again. _"It's about Kevin."_

Rika's eyes widened then as she listened to what Krauser has to say. _"Eh?"_

**

* * *

**If anyone happened to be passing by the seaside right now, one can find Kevin Smith standing at the cliff of the seaside of the mountain resort, watching the waves crashing onto the sides of the cliff that he was standing on, his hands in his pockets.

"Kevin."

Kevin turned around only to see Rika walking up to him, a grim expression on her face, her cellphone clutched in her right hand. He blinked in surprise.

"Rika?"

Rika sighed as she stepped up to Kevin. "Kevin, what's wrong?" she asked, getting straight to the point. "You've been acting strangely for some time now ever since school let out for the year. What is the matter?"

"Nothing," said Kevin stubbornly. "Nothing's the matter. I'm fine."

"Really?" said Rika sarcastically. "Then maybe you would be interested to know that Krauser gave me a call about half-an-hour ago." Kevin spun around to face Rika. "He told me some very interesting things…especially about what his best friend in America told him about a certain teen who nearly got imprisoned for life imprisonment for assault and attempted murder in America."

Kevin stared at Rika before sighing. "I should have known that I can't keep this from you," he said with a sigh.

Rika frowned at him. "You shouldn't have kept this from me in the first place!" she said. "Why didn't you tell me?! I thought that there were no secrets between us?"

"I didn't want to drag you into my problems," mumbled Kevin before looking at Rika. "Billy wrote me an email a while back. You know that Stephanie's father is an extremely influential politician, and he knew several things regarding the matters of the police force in America itself."

"Yeah. I know," said Rika with a sigh. "Krauser's friend couldn't find out a lot, but there have been several rumours going around about 'him'." She glanced at Kevin before sighing. "How bad is it?"

Kevin was silent for a moment.

"_It's your fault!"_

"_Leave him alone!"_

"_What's wrong, Rika?"_

"_You have no right to address me by my name!"_

"_You…what did you do??!!"_

"_Rika…"_

"_One last question, Smith. Where is Nina???!!!"_

"It's Kenneth, Rika," said Kevin at last. "My twin brother. He's coming to Japan."

Rika nearly groaned and summed the current situation up in two words.

"Oh shit."

* * *

_A/N: Sorry for this anti-climax chapter. Next chapter will be the start of Rika's sophomore year, and Rikkaidai's tennis club selection. I'll welcome any ideas for choosing the regulars. I've already worked out the personalities of the members of the regulars, but I need some ideas to incorporate them into the regular team._

_Anyway, I hope that you like this chapter, and please read and review!_


	34. A New Year

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but I do own the OC characters

* * *

**Chapter Thirty Four: A New Year**

It was a beautiful day at Rikkaidai Fuzoku.

The birds were singing, the sun was shining, and it was the start of a new school year. Sakura blossoms were fluttering prettily down to the ground from the sakura trees growing in the school grounds, creating a pretty picture, and the sophomores and seniors of Rikkaidai were busy getting acquainted with their friends.

And this rang true for one Echizen Rika as well.

It was strange to not come to school with Marui any longer, especially since the redhead is now in Rikkaidai High…along with the rest of the Rikkaidai regulars who had all applied to the same high school so that they could still be together during their high school years.

They have spent plenty of time together during the holidays, with Riku, Sora, Seika and Haru joining them occasionally as well since the latter two would be attending Rikkaidai during the next school year.

"Rika-sempai!"

A shout caught Rika's attention, and both herself and Kevin – who was wheeling his bicycle alongside Rika who was on her skates as usual – turned around only to see Seika and Haruki running up to them, both dressed in Rikkaidai's school uniforms.

Rika's face broke out into a smile as she saw them, sending plenty of boys near her into la-la-land, and Kevin rolled his eyes in annoyance at this. For goodness sake! Rika's fan-boys haven't given up yet?! Or could it be that they thought that they might stand a chance as her boyfriend isn't in Rikkaidai Fuzoku any longer?

"Ohayou!" greeted Seika with excitement, and Haruki nodded politely to Kevin and Rika. During the last month or so when the former Rikkaidai regulars were preparing for their high school entrance exams, Haruki spent most of his time with Kevin, Rika, Riku and Sora, with Seika joining them occasionally.

"Ohayou," greeted Rika. "Excited for your first day of school?"

Seika never got a chance to answer as there was a shout just then as the group of them approached the front gates of Rikkaidai Fuzoku. The owner of the voice turned out to be Sora who was waving at Rika from his place by the gate, and Riku was standing next to him.

"Rika! Over here!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Front Hall:_

"…so what did you do during your holidays?" Riku was asking as the three best friends made their way to the hall of the school where their class placements were put up, Kevin and Haruki tagging along with them. Seika, as a freshman, only needs to report into the school's office before heading to her designated classroom.

Rika rolled her eyes. "Nothing else but tennis, tennis, and tennis," she said. "Though we did go to the beach for about a week during the holidays. What about you guys?" She asked, keeping to the back of the hall to allow the crowd of students some time to disperse as what seemed to be more than half the school's population of students were gathered before the list of class placements pinned up on the notice-board.

"As usual, I played my violin the entire holiday," said Riku with a grin. "As well as participated in a concert that my mother had scheduled for me. I even went to France for about two weeks with my mother. My mother had recorded the songs that I've played in the concert on a CD. I'll give it to you later." Riku added, knowing that his female best friend _always _kept pictures or the music recordings of his concerts…like how Sora did.

"You're lucky, Riku." Sora nearly whined. "I stayed in Japan throughout the entire holiday."

"Hey, we'd better check our class placements," interrupted Haruki, seeing that the hall is nearly empty save for themselves and a few others. "Otherwise we would be late for class on our first day of school."

"Yeah."

And so, it turned out that Rika, Riku and Sora were in class 2-5, whilst Kevin was in a different class from them this year, being in class 2-3 with Haruki. Having known their class placements, and having gotten their lockers assigned to them earlier when they went to the school's office, the five teens said their farewells before heading to their classrooms, arranging to meet up for lunch beneath the sakura tree at the tennis courts later…especially since Rika still has to meet up with Kirihara to discuss with the new tennis captain regarding the regular team's selections.

**

* * *

**"Club practice on the first day of school, already?" asked Sora with amusement as they found their classroom and entered; finding that most of their new classmates were already in the classroom, and that the teacher hasn't arrived yet.

"Well, our win at the Musical Nationals last year made the headlines," whined Riku. "And not to mention that we won the tennis Nationals…_again! _And not to mention that Misaki-sensei made me lead violinist in the music club if we ever entered competitions as an orchestra. Sora, what about your club?"

"I have the day off," said Sora with a grin. "Yamazaki-sempai said that he can handle it alone today. Though he wants me to at least take some pictures of the tennis club training."

"No wonder you have your camera with you," muttered Rika as the three took their seats at the back of the class – with Riku taking the back window seat, with Rika taking the seat before him, and Sora taking the seat beside Riku.

The three friends blinked then as they realised that their classroom had suddenly fallen silent, and turned to the front only to see a girl standing by Rika's desk, glaring at her, and Rika raised an eyebrow. She remembered this girl vaguely. She was in the class next to Rika's the previous year, and was one of those that had harassed Rika during her first days in the tennis club.

"Can I help you, Shungaki?" asked Rika politely, though there was a slightly dangerous tone to her voice.

Shungaki Miore scowled down at her classmate.

The girl was very pretty, and one of the more popular girls in the school because she's from a wealthy family, but she had a problem with jealously spats. Her ex-boyfriend from last year who was the lead pianist in the music club was actually in the same class as Rika the previous year, and was one of her close friends since the guy was actually on pretty good terms with Riku, one of the school's heartthrobs. But in her opinion, her boyfriend was a little _too close _with Rika. Miore didn't even consider the fact that Rika already had a boyfriend at that time, and that her boyfriend and Rika were just good friends. Miore's ex-boyfriend was so fed-up with Miore that he actually broke up with her, and started going out with Fuyama Miyako, a girl who was one of the lead pianists in the music club in her class the previous year, much to her rage.

The entire class was looking on with interest as they eyed Miore's growing anger and jealously towards Rika by the minute. The whole school knew that Rika can take care of herself, and even if she don't do anything to those who tried to tarnish her reputation in the school or those who harassed her, it doesn't mean that Riku, Sora and Kevin will let it slide.

"Look here, Echizen! You keep your hands off my guy!" snarled Miore, nearly into Rika's face. "Isn't it enough that you took Hisagi-kun from me—?"

Rika scowled, standing up in her seat. "Watch where you're pointing that finger, woman!" she snapped. "And for your information, I already have a boyfriend. It's not my fault if half the boys in the school scampered after me like foxes in heat. And for your information, Kuruchi-kun and myself are just close friends!"

The entire class tittered away in amusement, and Riku who was sitting behind Rika coughed to cover up his amusement. Sora decided to intervene before Miore attacks Rika, then Miore herself will be on the receiving end of attacks from the entire tennis club.

"Shungaki, her boyfriend is Yukimura-sempai," said Sora calmly. "The captain of last year's tennis club."

Fortunately or unfortunately for Miore, depending on how you tend to look at it, their teacher stepped into the classroom just then, and the students returned to their respective seats, including Miore herself who had a seat on the other side of the room from Rika.

"Alright, homeroom is starting!" said the teacher before picking up the folder on his desk. "I'll first be starting roll-call. Asagi Miyu—"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The final bell that signals the end of the day had just gone off mere moments ago, and now, soft soothing music was being played over the intercom like it did every break. The first day of school usually lasted about half-a-day in order for the new students to pick their clubs, and the clubs themselves were busy with the club selections as well.

In fact, the tennis club itself had an extremely long line of applicants lining up before a table set at the tennis courts where two non-regular sophomores were looking extremely bored, taking down the names of the applicants, and several of the non-regulars were having practice sessions against each other in the courts.

And meanwhile, Rika, Kevin and Kirihara were currently in an empty classroom in the school which overlooks the tennis courts, discussing any ideas that they have about selecting their regulars. Rika also happens to be in an extremely bad mood that day, partly due to the fact that her fan-club have came out in full-force. And of course, Rika putting half the non-regulars in the club in the hospital for a week seemed like a good enough reason for the rest of them to leave her alone.

Kirihara scratched his head, looking over the list of possible regulars for the tennis club. "Looks like our best choice is to have ranking matches of some sort like how Seigaku always does," said the new captain, and Rika and Kevin both nodded. "But how are we going to go about it?"

"Well, we've mostly picked out those that we think are good enough to join the regulars," said Kevin thoughtfully, watching Rika tap the top of the table that she's sitting at with her pen. "Maybe we should hold some kind of elimination match with those that we've picked out? The six strongest will join the regulars…_after _they've gotten our approval, of course."

"Seems to be the best choice," said Kirihara, nodding. "I'll get down to the courts. I'll oversee the non-regulars' training. I'll leave the selection to you two."

Rika and Kevin both nodded, watching Kirihara leave the classroom. "Didn't Haru say something about joining the tennis club?" asked Rika quietly, picking up the folder on the desk before leaving the classroom.

"Yeah, he did," said Kevin with a nod. "We've seen how he played during the holidays, and if he's good enough to get three games past me, he's good enough to be a regular."

Rika frowned, looking at the list of names that she had, both making their way down to the tennis courts. "Well, his name is here," she said. "Kirihara had put his name down for consideration. It's all up to him now if he can somehow get into the regulars."

**

* * *

**Twenty minutes later, Kevin, Rika and Kirihara were already dressed in their tennis jerseys on the courts. Kirihara was overlooking the training for the non-regulars on the courts, pointing out just what they did wrong; apparently, the guy had taken Yanagi's words to heart before he had left the previous year.

Kevin was standing in a corner of the tennis courts, looking at the practice sessions and writing down several notes on the clipboard that he got with him. Rika had a whistle hanging around her neck, a clipboard and pen in her hand as she directed several of the club members for the 'elimination match' – not that they knew that – in order to pick the regulars for the club.

Riku and Sora were currently standing outside the courts with Seika – the freshman girl who had joined the girls' tennis team. Unlike most schools, Rikkaidai's girls' tennis team was quite good. Not quite up to the boys' team's standard, but still pretty good.

Rika sighed inwardly to herself as she crossed another two names off the extremely long list of names that she's had with her – eliminating another two from the list of potential regulars – and blew on her whistle – the signal for stopping the match – and raised her voice so that the entire court can hear her.

"Next! Katou! Kanori! Enter Court A!" said Rika as she scribbled some notes down onto the clipboard that she's had with her.

"Hai…" said the two mentioned in unison before entering Court A with their tennis racquets tucked beneath one arm, some random non-regular playing umpire, and another non-regular acting as scorekeeper.

Rika's eye twitched as she then heard what some of the students outside the court were whispering. Relatively loudly too, I might add.

"Hey, is that the rumoured female freshman regular from last year?"

"She's cute…!"

"Wonder if she'll go out with me?"

"I heard that she's the vice-captain of the tennis team this year."

Riku and Sora exchanged alarmed looks as they heard this loud and clear as well. Uh oh.

'_Do not kill them. Do not kill them. Do not kill them.' _Rika chanted in her head, nearly snapping the pen in her hand in half. Unknown to her, several of the club members gulped as they saw this, knowing quite well what their vice-captain is like when it comes to her unwanted fan-club.

One would think that she's gotten used to it by now, but alas.

"Uh oh. The vice-captain looks like she's about to snap," muttered Fuuma Hikaru, a non-regular in the tennis club to his twin whom nodded.

Thankfully for the health and well-being of those gossipers behind Rika, Kirihara came to the rescue just then, noticing the ominous aura and bad mood of his kouhai who looks like she's ready to massacre half the crowd standing behind her.

"HEY, YOU MAGGOTS!! GET THE HELL AWAY FROM THE VICE-CAPTAIN _AND _OUR FORMER CAPTAIN'S _GIRLFRIEND _BEFORE I THROW SOMETHING AT YOU!!!"

Kirihara's abnormally loud voice rang throughout the entire courts, and it did the trick alright as more than half of the crowd who _wasn't _signing up for the club paled at Kirihara's appearance and disappeared quickly. Apparently, Kirihara's nickname of 'the Devil' wasn't just within the tennis circle.

Fuuma Hikari sighed in relief as he saw the captain made his appearance. "Kirihara-buchou to the rescue," he muttered.

"Yeah. Thank god for that, or the fukubuchou will snap soon enough. She looks like she's on the verge of murdering someone."

"Well, we all knew that this will happen when we won the Nationals last year…"

Rika tuned out the rest of the endless conversation and continued watching the match between two random non-regulars as Kirihara walked up to her. Rika sighed, and shook her head before crossing out another two names on her already more than half page long list of crossed out names and blew sharply on the whistle.

"Next! Amagi! Kitachi! Enter Court A!"

"Hai!"

"No good so far?" asked Kirihara sympathetically, seeing the abnormally long list of names that Rika had with her. The girl had decided to test all the members instead in this elimination match; giving everyone in the club a fair chance at entering the regulars. Though thankfully for her sanity, Rika had the sense to only put each match at one game to cut down on time.

Rika sighed and shook her head. "The only one worthy of entering the regulars and which all three of us have agreed on is only Yukimura Haruki," she said with an exasperated sigh, jerking her thumb over her shoulder at said boy who was currently seated on a bench, sipping from his water dispenser with a bored look on his face, looking at all the matches currently going on in the courts with a critical eye.

"Well, I definitely have no objections with him joining the regulars," said Kirihara, glancing towards said boy's direction. "Especially since he's good enough to get about four games against Kevin, and we all know how difficult it is to do that. He's at National level standard."

"Yes, but we need the minimum of seven players on the team, though it's better if we get nine players," said Rika with a frustrated sigh, fighting the urge to simply slam the clipboard that she's holding onto the ground. "But so far, all those that I've been seeing are simply _not _up to Rikkaidai's standard, and I've already gotten down to the G's."

Kirihara looked at the list of names that Rika had. Haruki was given the chance to play against Kevin earlier as he was the first one there for club selection for the tennis club, and managed to get four games past Kevin, hereby claiming a spot on the regulars' team.

"Though I definitely hope that the rest of the school won't think that you only allow Haruki on the regulars for…personal reasons," said Kirihara with a grin, joking around with his kouhai, oblivious to the killer intent surrounding said girl. "I mean, he does looks like Yukimura-buchou, and even kind of acts like him with—"

"Finish that sentence and you're dead, Kirihara," growled Rika, giving off such an ominous aura that had most of the club scurrying for cover, not that she noticed it.

"Well, jokes aside," said Kirihara seriously as Kevin walked up to them, standing on Rika's other side. "Any other potential regulars save for Haruki?"

"None that I've noticed yet," said Rika with a sigh, crossing out the last two names on the G column on the list that she's had and flipping over the paper to the F column. "This is getting ridiculous. We have over a hundred members in the club, and you're trying to tell me that _none_ of them are up to Rikkaidai's standard in tennis?!"

Kevin frowned as he studied the list of names under the F column that Rika was currently holding, his eyes going somewhere to the middle of the page, focusing on two particular names before glancing at said two players who were currently standing in a corner, chatting up a storm with Haruki.

"Well…" Kevin begun, effectively stopping Kirihara and Rika's conversation, and turning their attention towards him. "I suppose that we can place the Fuuma twins in a mock match against myself and Kirihara."

Rika and Kirihara blinked simultaneously at Kevin. "The Fuuma twins?" they echoed.

Kevin nodded. "Yeah. They're in my and Haruki's class," he explained, jerking one thumb towards the initial direction of the twins. "Fuuma Hikari and Fuuma Hikaru. They'll make a good doubles pair like Jackal-sempai and Bunta from last year."

Kirihara and Rika turned towards the initial direction of the twins. Yanagi had mentioned about those twins in passing once to Rika and Kirihara both, mentioning once that as they're both twins, they have an endless potential for playing doubles, and with proper training, will be as good as Jackal and Bunta's doubles play with time.

The Fuuma twins were fraternal twins, and look a little alike. Both have hazel-brown hair and gray eyes, though Hikaru – the older twin – has his hair just brushing against his shoulders and Hikari has his hair tied up in a short ponytail.

Rika frowned before exchanging looks with Kirihara. "Play against them after the half-an-hour break," was all that she said.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Rika doesn't look too happy, does she?" asked Fuuma Hikari during break later, having his lunch in the clubroom with his twin and their friend, Takuga Shuu. "She seems to be quite in a foul mood."

Shuu, a sophomore in the opposite class of the twins rolled his eyes in annoyance. The teen was handsome in a way with silver hair brushing against the tops of his shoulders and sapphire coloured eyes. "I doubt that anyone will if they have to endure their fans talking in relatively _loud _voices at that behind them, along with testing nearly the entire club to pick the regulars, with no success so far," said Shuu irritably. "Yeah. I won't be in a good mood as well."

"Yeah well, if we don't get back soon, the fukubuchou is going to assign us a million laps," muttered Hikaru. "It's like assigning laps is her weird fetish."

"Well, it's not like she can help it," said Hikari with a sigh. "She's the only one who can keep order in the club…and possibly the only _sane _person on the regulars."

Shuu blinked in confusion. "I thought that it should be the _buchou _who kept order in the club, not the _fukubuchou?" _he said.

The twins exchanged looks before snickering to themselves, and Shuu blinked in confusion. Was he missing something here? "What?" he asked.

"You weren't on the team last year, are you?" asked Hikaru with amusement, and Shuu shook his head. He was initially in the photography club until he decided to join the tennis club alongside his childhood friends aka neighbours.

"The buchou listens to the fukubuchou as well," said Hikari. "She's the only one in the entire school who can control him, save for last year's captain and vice-captain."

Shuu blinked. "Oh."

There was a knock on the door of the clubroom just then, and some random non-regular poked his head in. "Oh. Fuuma! There you are!" he said. "Both of you are up for a match against the buchou and Smith in ten minutes. Get ready to enter Court A."

The twins exchanged startled glances before turning back towards the messenger. "You serious?" asked Hikaru, startled. "Against the _buchou _himself, and Kevin?"

"Yeah. The fukubuchou told me herself to get you guys to the courts," said the messenger. "Better get going. You don't want to keep them waiting."

The twins paled before packing up their bento boxes and making a beeline out of the clubroom with their tennis racquets tucked beneath one arm.

**

* * *

**"All right, so that's three regulars decided now," said Rika half-an-hour later, being gathered in an empty classroom with Kevin and Kirihara, three of the regulars' names other than their own being written on the list that Rika had with her. "Fuuma Hikari, Fuuma Hikaru and Yukimura Haruki. We still need three more regulars."

"The Fuuma twins will be good as a doubles combination," said Kirihara thoughtfully, and both Kevin and Rika nodded. "As for Haruki…he's more like a singles player than a doubles player. Hopefully, two of the next few regulars that we'll pick will be suited for playing doubles."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Meanwhile down at the tennis courts:_

Two certain reporters from Monthly Pro Tennis were currently making their way to the tennis courts of Rikkaidai Fuzoku, being sent there to report on Rikkaidai Fuzoku's team selections and training for the next month's issue of Monthly Pro Tennis.

"Inoue-sempai, why are we here?" asked Shiba as the two reporters made their way to Rikkaidai's tennis courts. "Aren't we supposed to be interviewing Seigaku today?"

"No, we'll be covering Rikkaidai for today," said Inoue Mamoru. "They won the Nationals last year, after all. Everyone will be eagerly waiting for news regarding them…especially considering who their vice-captain is this year."

Shiba frowned slightly. "If I recall correctly, Seigaku's captain this year is Shinderui-kun, isn't it?" she asked, and Inoue nodded. "And Rikkaidai Fuzoku's vice-captain is Rika-kun. Those two definitely seems fated to be rivals."

Inoue stopped dead in his tracks just then, and so did Shiba a while later as they took in the sight of the tennis courts of Rikkaidai Fuzoku where most of the non-regulars were lying all about the place, exhausted, and a single boy with silver hair just brushing against his shoulders and gray eyes who seemed to be in his sophomore year, wearing Rikkaidai's school uniform, tapping a racquet against his shoulder had a bored look on his face.

"What the hell happened here?!" asked Shiba in shock.

**

* * *

**_Five minutes earlier:_

Hikari, Hikaru and Shuu, along with Yukimura Haruki stared on with both shock and surprise at the sight of a single unknown boy wearing Rikkaidai's school uniform beating more than half of the tennis club's non-regulars into next week.

All four of them have just returned from a quick drink at the sinks only to see this unknown boy playing against more than fifty players and beating them all quickly with just a minute for each game. "Who's he?" asked Haruki. "He's good."

"Tanaka Takahiro," answered Shuu, glancing at Haruki. "I think he's in the fukubuchou's class. A transfer student from Europe. He's like the fukubuchou; an honours student getting A's in every single one of his classes. He's won a scholarship here. He's also a known genius with an IQ of over 200, being a genius in strategy games like chess and shougi. He has a nickname. He's called the Chessmaster."

Haruki stared at Shuu. "Are you some kind of data specialist?" he asked, and the twins stifled their laughter, and Shuu grinned.

"Kind of," he admitted. "I liked staying on top of most things."

"Damn, you'll make a good tennis manager if you make it into the regulars," said Haruki with a grin. "Rika was saying something about finding a tennis manager for the team as neither herself nor Kevin are really suitable for being a manager." He then turned serious and turned towards Takahiro who was currently playing against one of the third years. "What are we going to do about him?"

Shuu frowned and turned towards the twins. "Where's the buchou and fukubuchou?"

"Both of them, along with Kevin, have been called in for a meeting with the principal," answered Hikaru.

Shuu frowned slightly. "At a time like this…!"

**

* * *

**Tanaka Takahiro, aka the Chessmaster, cocked his head to one side as he studied the fifty or so extremely exhausted club members of the tennis club lying all about the courts. And the guy himself doesn't even look winded, and not a hair was out of place.

He had initially came to the tennis club of Rikkaidai Fuzoku as he heard that their vice-captain was an honours student like himself, also a genius, and was said to be the type of tennis player that only appears once every ten years, and not to mention that said vice-captain was a girl.

This perked Takahiro's interest as it's not every day that you get to see a female tennis player being good enough to join the boys' tennis team of the Kantou region's number one team, and being their number one player at that. And not to mention that she's also the youngest to ever win the US Open.

Takahiro himself happened to be in New York about four months ago for the National Chess Tournament, and his cousin who was a tennis fan dragged him to the finals of the US Open where Lleyton Hewitt was playing against some thirteen-year-old girl, and said girl turned out to be a dark horse who beat the tennis professional at 6-4.

That had gotten Takahiro's interest in the girl, and he did some investigating and soon found out the girl's name: Rika Echizen, a Japanese girl from the land of sakura blossoms, Takahiro's birthplace which he'd left when he was barely old enough to walk. And that she was also the daughter of the samurai tennis legend, Nanjirou Echizen, and that the girl is also said to be California's strongest tennis player when she was barely ten years old, being the team captain of St. Andrews, currently the number one school for tennis in America.

It was not long after that when Takahiro had picked up tennis, and like when he first took up violin and piano, he picked it up extremely quickly – the guy wasn't called a genius for nothing – and wanted more than anything to play against the girl that he'd seen at the match that day and surpass her. The girl was also said to be a genius with an IQ of over 200, and to meet someone his own age that is so much like Takahiro himself perked his interest. Thus, he finished his studies in Europe and gotten a scholarship to Rikkaidai Fuzoku – the school of his 'rival' and the one whom he has an interest in.

"Is this the strength of Rikkaidai Fuzoku's tennis team?" asked Takahiro in his usual monotone voice, cocking his head to one side. "I'm disappointed. Did you guys really win the Nationals three times in a row? If this is Kantou's best team, then I'd hate to see their worst."

"That bastard…!" growled some random club member. "How dare he—"

"This is interesting," said a voice, and everyone turned towards the entrance of the tennis courts as the gate swung opened with a slight creak, and the fukubuchou of the tennis team walked in, a tennis racquet tucked under one arm, eyeing Takahiro with an appraising look. "Then how about you have a match with me?"

The exhausted club members blinked at the sight of their fukubuchou's sudden appearance.

"Fukubuchou!"

Takahiro frowned inwardly, eyeing the girl that he'd travelled across half the continent for just to measure his skill against. Somehow, winning and gaining things too easily with no one of his ability to measure against will be boring after a while, and that's why Takahiro was always searching for new challenges.

He knew when he'd seen her match against Hewitt during the finals of the US Open that this girl is his 'destined rival', and the only one who can give him a good challenge. Thus, the reason why he'd travelled across half the continent just to meet her.

"You're the vice-captain of the tennis team?" asked Takahiro in his usual monotone voice, his head cocked to one side. The vice-captain was indeed very good-looking, blessed with looks and intelligence as well as tennis ability. He can see why her boyfriend is actually the former captain of last year's tennis team, and also said to be the greatest honours student that had ever graduated from Rikkaidai, and why nearly half the boys in the school were scampering after her like foxes in heat.

"That I am," said Rika, eyeing Takahiro appraisingly. "Tanaka Takahiro, is it? Riku told me about you. You're in my class, aren't you?"

"That I am," said Takahiro with a nod.

Rika smiled. "Let's have a match," she said. "Then you can decide if joining the tennis club will be interesting or not, and whether gracing us with your presence is worth your time." She made her way towards an available tennis court, turning her head to look at Takahiro. "Just a word of warning though." She smirked. "I don't take my opponents easily."

Takahiro smirked. "We'll see about that," he said.

**

* * *

**"That's four regulars down on our list then." Kevin muttered to Kirihara twenty minutes later when Rika walked off the courts with her racquet tapping on her shoulder, still playing _right-handed, _an extremely shocked Takahiro staring at her with a strange expression on his face. "I mean, sure, he only managed to get two games past her, but at least he managed to get _two games _when most players could barely manage to get _one game. _And besides, he lasted against her for twenty minutes when most people could barely last ten minutes."

Kirihara nodded, agreeing with Kevin. "The only people who could get at least four games against Rika are Seigaku's Shinderui, Yukimura-buchou, Sanada-fukubuchou, Yanagi-sempai and Niou-sempai. And not to mention yourself and me."

"Shitenhouji's Toyama Kintarou probably also could," said Kevin thoughtfully to himself. He then glanced back at Takahiro who had been taken by Rika to a corner, and both were engaged in a serious conversation. "And that guy seems to be an all-rounder. He'll do well in both doubles and singles." He sighed. "We need two more regulars."

**

* * *

**"She's good!" said Shiba, her camera clicking away at every second, taking pictures of every angle. "That Rika-kun, she's better than when she played against Shinderui-kun during the Nationals!"

"She won the finals in the US Open," said Inoue, staring at the girl with admiration in his eyes. "She's bound to be good. But that Tanaka Takahiro…" He trailed off. _'I didn't expect for one of the world's greatest geniuses, and also said to be the Music Maestro as well as the youngest person who had ever won the National Chess Tournament to turn up at Rikkaidai Fuzoku and take up tennis. So that explains why he suddenly disappeared from the chess and music circle about four months back.'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Rika's eyes widened in both horror and shock as she saw Kirihara's eyes turned red. And beside her, Kevin paled. The non-regulars of the club all paled instantly as they recognised immediately what's going on.

Devil Kirihara.

The player that was currently playing against Kirihara – a sophomore by the name of Takuga Shuu – had somehow managed the impossible – forcing the Devil Kirihara out. Ever since Rika had helped Kirihara to seal away his Devil Tennis, his devil side has never been able to get out once.

Rika's eyes narrowed as she saw Kirihara attempting the Knuckle Serve, and knew just how dangerous it could be. Without a moment's hesitation, she moved into the courts immediately.

"STOP KIRIHARA!!"

Faster than one could see, Rika immediately stepped into the path of the ball and knocked it back to Kirihara which just grazed past his cheek, creating a slight scrape, and Kirihara blinked before his eyes turned back to normal, and he looked at a shivering Takuga Shuu and his face took on one of horror.

"I…" He stuttered, looking from his racquet to Rika and back again. "I didn't…"

Rika sighed. "You lost control, Kirihara," she said. "What happened? You _never _lost control! Not even when you lost against me."

"I…don't know," muttered Kirihara. He can't believe that he's lost control over his devil side like this. What would he tell his sempais and his brother? He only became the captain of the team because Yukimura-buchou and Sanada-fukubuchou believes that he's gotten his devil side under complete control, and even if he couldn't, Rika can always snap him out of it. The rest of the club will only be more afraid and hate him even more like this.

Rika frowned and turned around slightly to see the rest of the club tittering away, and a few even looked warily at Kirihara. Those looks haven't been around ever since she had helped Kirihara to seal away his Devil Tennis after the Kantou finals.

"Everyone! Fifty laps!" Rika barked at the club members, and said club members cringed at the dangerous look in their fukubuchou's eyes. _"Now!"_

Without a word, all of them took off, knowing that now is not exactly the best time to infuriate their vice-captain and have her legendary temper come to the surface, especially today of all days. Rika isn't exactly in the best of moods as it is because of club selection day, and with the number of fan-boys flocking to her like bees to honey.

Rika sighed before turning towards Takuga Shuu. "You're Takuga Shuu?" she asked.

The guy blinked in confusion. "…hai."

Rika nodded, glancing at the scoreboard in a corner which read 'Kirihara: 4, Takuga: 4', and turned back towards Shuu. "You made it to the regulars," she said, her face breaking into a rare smile. "Welcome aboard."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Well…" Rika gave a sigh as Kirihara and Kevin who were both on either side of her looked at the long list of crossed out names that she had on the clipboard in her hand, and the list of regulars' names that she had on the clipboard as well. "We have eight regulars now. And there's one last name left on the list. If his skill isn't up to our standard, we'll have to make do with eight regulars instead of nine."

The sun was nearly setting by then, and most of the club members were eagerly gathered outside the courts, waiting for their buchou and fukubuchou to announce the names of those who have made it to the regulars. Shiba and Inoue were also outside the courts with Seika, Riku and Sora.

Rika sighed as she exchanged looks with Kevin who sighed and walked towards Court A as Haruki was seated in the referee's chair before she raised her voice so that everyone in the courts can hear her, crossing out the final name on her list of over two hundred members in the tennis club – more than twice the number of club members compared to the previous year.

"Takeda Ryou! Enter Court A!"

**

* * *

**Takeda Ryou, a handsome teen with hazel-brown hair and sapphire coloured eyes who was Shuu's best friend, and also in his class, surprisingly turned out to be a pretty good tennis player himself who had just joined the club that year along with Shuu.

He managed to get five games against Kevin before the blonde ended the game at 7-5, yet the game count was more than enough to get him a spot in the regulars as Kirihara and Rika have both decided to lower the standard a little so that a person who wants to become a regular only has to get a game count of only three games instead of the usual four against them to become a regular.

Kirihara and Rika exchanged glances before Rika wrote down Takeda Ryou's name on the list of the Rikkaidai's regulars, and scribbled a few notes next to his name. "Well, I guess that we've got our nine regulars," she said.

**

* * *

**Outside the courts, Shiba was clicking away with her camera, and Inoue had a brief hint of a smile on his face.

"With that, Rikkaidai Fuzoku's nine regulars have all been accounted for," said Inoue Mamoru.

_Third year, buchou, Kirihara Akaya. Class 3-5._

_Second year, fukubuchou, Echizen Rika. Class 2-5._

_Second year, tennis manager, Takuga Shuu. Class 2-4._

_Second year, Tanaka Takahiro. Class 2-5._

_Second year, Kevin Smith. Class 2-3._

_Second year, Yukimura Haruki. Class 2-3._

_Second year, Fuuma Hikari. Class 2-3._

_Second year, Fuuma Hikaru. Class 2-3._

_Second year, Takeda Ryou. Class 2-4._

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The sun had nearly set by the time that practically the entire club had been dismissed, and Kevin and Rika both were currently in the tennis clubroom, discussing about the training for the team in the future. Takuga Shuu had proved to be quite an able manager, able to plan several training methods and training menus for the entire team which is the reason why Kirihara and Rika have both decided to appoint him as tennis manager, both secretly thinking to themselves that he might very well be Yanagi version 2.0.

The twins, Fuuma Hikaru and Fuuma Hikari, both being twins, have an endless potential for playing doubles and being a doubles combination. If all goes well, the twins might very well be an extremely deadly doubles combination like Marui and Jackal from last year.

Takeda Ryou and Takuga Shuu could work as another doubles combination as well. Both being best friends and childhood playmates, they knew and understood each other like the back of their own hands.

Yukimura Haruki and Tanaka Takahiro…like Rika and Kevin; both were all-rounders – able to play in both doubles and singles, though with limited partners. For Takahiro, he can only pair up in doubles with either Haruki or Rika, as his cold and aloof personality would clash too much with anyone else. Haruki was gentle and well-mannered – rather like his cousin – and would work well in doubles with anyone else, though he is more of a back-line defensive player than a frontal attacker during doubles play.

One or more of them would usually be on reserve during matches, though the captain and vice-captain of the team would never be on reserve unless they decided otherwise.

"Well, we can use part of Yuki's weight training for the team," said Kevin. "Now, their main weakness is their stamina. If they can handle twenty kilograms of metal leads on their wrists and ankles, they should be able to handle long matches. For tennis matches, endurance is the key to winning."

"That's true…" muttered Rika, scribbling some notes down on the notebook that she had with her. "We also have to order the team jerseys for the new regulars from the shop that we usually ordered our jackets and jerseys from. Shuu can handle the training menu, and I won't be surprised if he added weight training to the menu." She chuckled. "He's really like Yanagi-sempai version 2.0."

Kevin chuckled. "True," he said.

"RIKA!!"

Both friends looked up just then as the door to the clubroom got blown off it's hinges, and Rika's eyebrow twitched dangerously as she eyed the broken door on the floor to a grinning Kirihara, and to the line of nervous regulars behind him and sighed.

"Kirihara, you owe me a new door." Rika stated.

* * *

_A/N: And this is the end of the club selection. Next chapter will be their meeting with the former tennis regulars of Rikkaidai who were all in high school now, and Kevin's pairing will show up next chapter…a freshman girl in Seika's class. Also, just a heads up, but Rika and Yukimura will encounter some problems in their relationship in this arc. Not that soon, but it will happen._

_I hope that you like this chapter, and please read and review! Any opinions or comments on the new regulars (OCs) are very much appreciated!_

**_Upcoming Stories:_**

**_Crisis Core: Azure Blue Moon (Final Fantasy VII)_**

_What if there was one other SOLDIER First Class alongside Sephiroth, Genesis and Angeal throughout the events in Crisis Core, and said SOLDIER was a female? When Genesis Rhapsodos deserted Shinra, Saya Kabayashi entered into a deep investigation into the reason behind his desertion and discovered the shocking truth behind the Shinra Corporation. Saya/Genesis. OC story._


	35. Training

Sorry for the late update! I've been _really _busy these days, and cannot seem to find the time to update ANY of my stories. Also, to answer a few reviewers, I didn't even realise that Tanaka Takahiro resembles the one from Gwynhafra's fic. Anyway, I've already written to him, explaining matters, and I've also read his fic, and if any part of Takahiro resembles his, it is inspirited from _his _Takahiro.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Thirty Five: Training**

"Wrist weights?"

"Check."

"Lead blocks?"

"Check."

"Tennis balls."

"Check. Though why you want so many is beyond me."

"Ball machines order?"

"Check. Ten in total. The shop owner said that he'll have it sent over to Rikkaidai in ten days."

"I guess that's it for our shopping then."

It had been two weeks after the selection matches for the tennis team of Rikkaidai Fuzoku, and one can find Echizen Rika and Yukimura Haruki shopping for the tennis club, getting some new training equipment for the team.

It was currently late evening, and the sun was about to set. Kevin had volunteered to do the locking up that day for the tennis team since it was usually Rika's job so that the sophomore can set off early with Haruki to get the tennis equipment that they requires, and Kirihara wasn't available to go with Rika as he was called in by his homeroom teacher for some odd reason…

Hence why Haruki was the one who was assigned to go with Rika.

And right now, the poor blue-haired sophomore was currently weighed down with several carton boxes in his arms, blocking his view as he followed Rika – both having came straight from club practice for shopping duty, and was henceforth, still in their school uniforms.

"Anything else, Rika?" asked Haruki as a bell tinkled somewhere in the shop behind them as the door shut, the shop owner bidding them a polite farewell.

"Hmm…" Rika surveyed the shopping list which she had in her hand. "Nope. Doesn't seem to have anything else that we need. Let's head back to the school to drop off the stuff."

"Ara? Rika?"

Rika and Haruki blinked before turning towards the source of the voice – the latter having to put down his stack of carton boxes – only to see that it was the former members of the tennis club from Rikkaidai Fuzoku the previous year, along with a few unknown faces – all currently in their high school uniforms of Rikkaidai High which isn't that much different from Rikkaidai Fuzoku's, except that the ties are in different colours, as instead of it being in striped dark green and silver, it was in dark blue and silver. And the school badge of Rikkaidai High is different as well.

"Sempai-tachi!"

Marui grinned, and popped a bubblegum as he waved at Rika. "Yo!" he said. He then noticed the carton boxes by their feet, and turned towards Rika. "Shopping duty?" he asked, and Rika nodded. "So the club is alright then? That's a relief."

"What about you?" asked Rika with interest. Neither side had any time to catch up with each other ever since the beginning of the year, save for the phone calls and meet-ups that Yukimura and Rika does on occasion, and even then, they never talked about school.

Niou grinned cheekily. "What do you think? _All _of us got into the regulars in the tennis club at school!" he said, forming the 'V' sign with two fingers. "They are the buchou and fukubuchou of the tennis club in Rikkaidai High." He gestured towards the two by their sides, looking at Rika with interest. "The fukubuchou, Himura Haruka." The fukubuchou was a serious-looking handsome brunette with his hair falling lightly into his green eyes. He nodded to Rika politely. "…and the buchou. Kirihara Akira." The buchou had black hair which frames his face perfectly with emerald green eyes, and he nodded to Rika politely. Somehow, his demeanour reminds Rika of Yukimura himself…

The two middle school sophomores then blinked as the last name of the captain of Rikkaidai High's tennis club sunk into their heads. "Kirihara…Akira?" Both echoed together.

Akira blinked before sighing, and the rest of the former Rikkaidai Fuzoku's third years, and his vice-captain looked fairly amused. "I take it that you've met my brother?" he muttered. "I hope that he is not causing you any trouble. Niou and Marui have both been telling me stories."

"Huh?"

Yukimura chuckled to himself in amusement, and even Yagyuu could not suppress a smirk. "Rika, he's the tennis club captain when we were freshmen in Rikkaidai Fuzoku," explained Marui. "He's Akaya's brother." Marui grinned. "And if Akaya is otherwise known as the 'Devil', Kirihara-sempai is the 'Angel'. They're as different as night and day. He's also a mother hen type like Seigaku's Oishi." He muttered the last bit to Rika.

Rika blinked, thinking to herself that now that she thinks about it, he _did _looks a lot like Kirihara (Akaya). "I…see…" She then decided to change the topic before turning towards Marui. "So, I take it that all of you made it into the regulars?"

Marui grinned and nodded. "Of course. Who do you think we are?" he scoffed. "All of us made it in. The only seniors are the captain and vice-captain of the team. They've somehow managed to keep their positions."

Haruka coughed politely into his hand. "I'm afraid that the captain and myself won't lose to freshmen, even if you graduated from the sister school," he said. "We have our positions and reputations at stake, after all."

Yukimura chuckled to himself. "Huhuhuhuhuhu!" he chuckled before turning to Rika. "By the way, Rika, there's a certain student in mine and Genichirou's class whom you might be interested to know."

Rika raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

The rest of the high schoolers looked on with amusement as Niou resisted a smirk.

Yukimura continued smiling serenely, and Haruki immediately recognised that look on his cousin's face. "Yeah," said Yukimura, smiling. "He goes by the name of Krauser. Liliaden Krauser."

Rika blinked at Yukimura. _"Krauser?!" _

Haruka and Akira both blinked before turning towards Sanada in unison. "Anything happened between them both?" asked Haruka in bewilderment. "About that Krauser kid and the girl?"

Sanada sighed. "It's a long story," he said.

"Yeah," said Niou, nodding. "He's in Rikkaidai High too, which surprised us, since we thought that he'll go to another school after what's happened…"

"I asked him about it the first day that he appeared at Rikkaidai High," said Marui, turning serious for once. "After that court case with his family involved which hit the headlines of the newspapers in America for a week, he bought a small house in Kanagawa with the money that he's gotten after selling all the businesses and mansions of his family in America which nearly amounts up to 100 billion in US dollars! I don't think that he even needs to work another day in his life with that amount of cash in his bank accounts." He coughed. "Anyway, I asked him why he decided to move to Kanagawa instead of remaining in Aichi, and he told me that you and Kevin were the only ones whom he knew in Japan, and throw the rest of us in, and he's decided to settle down here so that he could be near us."

"I see…" muttered Rika, her brows furrowing together. She has no idea that Krauser is actually in Kanagawa as the guy hasn't breathed a single word about it during all their telephone calls to each other and emails. "Rikkaidai High, huh? He in the tennis club?" She asked, turning towards Sanada and Yukimura.

Yukimura frowned slightly and shook his head. "Nope," he said. "Not this time."

Rika can only stare at her boyfriend. "Why not?" she asked. "He's a pretty good player. He failed in the tryouts or something?"

"No," said Kirihara Akira, speaking up for the first time, and his gentle face had a confused frown upon it. "I was at the Nationals for the middle school tennis tournaments last year, and I saw the match between Rikkaidai Fuzoku and Nadoya Seitoku." He exchanged glances with Haruka before turning back towards Rika. "He's a very good player, I admit that. When he first entered Rikkaidai High, I approached him with an invitation to join the tryouts for the regulars alongside Yukimura-kun and the others. But he declined my offer."

Marui sighed. "We still don't know why he rejected buchou's offer," he said, popping a bubblegum. "In fact, he looks like his dog had just died when buchou approached him in the cafeteria during break that day." _Pop._

Rika sighed. "I do," she said, and everyone stared at her. "I didn't think that he was serious about actually giving up tennis, though. I know better than anyone else how much he loves tennis." Seeing everyone's looks on her, she proceeded to explain. "He gave me a phone call about two weeks before the start of the new school year. He told me that he wanted to drop tennis for awhile so that he can get over Yuki's death. She's the reason why he even took on tennis in the first place, after all."

Jackal frowned. "Should we try to convince him to join the team?" he asked carefully. The Brazilian knew better than anyone else what loneliness is since he's gone through that when he first arrived in Japan until he joined the tennis team and befriended Marui and the others. And from what that he's seen of Krauser, he don't doubt that Krauser even had a _single _friend as he always saw the blonde alone, avoiding his fan-girls. The only ones who even tried to talk to him are the former tennis regulars of Rikkaidai Fuzoku, and that's only because they knew him through Rika.

Rika sighed and shook her head. "No. Just leave him alone for awhile," she said. "I know Krauser. He's stubborn. To the point of being obstinate. Once he had his mind made up, nothing short of making Mount Fuji erupt will make him change his mind."

Marui and Niou sweat dropped. "You're exaggerating," said Niou.

Rika sighed. "No, I'm not," she said. "Just be his friend. I can't because we're in different schools. That's all that you can do to help him." Rika sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "He just needs time in order to heal."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Next Day:_

Early the next morning, nearly two hours before the start of lessons can find Rika unlocking the tennis clubroom of the boys' tennis team, with Kevin helping her with the cleaning up of the courts as she tidied the clubroom.

It was part of her duties as vice-captain, especially since Kirihara cannot seem to wake up early to save his life. There isn't a single soul in the school, except perhaps for the captain of the girls' tennis team who is a tennis maniac like Rika herself.

Just as Rika exited out from the tennis clubroom, stretching a little, already dressed in her tennis jersey with her tennis racquet under one arm, ready to have a match with Kevin before the rest of the team arrives for their morning practice, a shout interrupted her train of thoughts.

"Rika-sempai!"

Rika turned only to see Seika running up to her with a girl with purple hair reaching to her shoulders and gray eyes beside her. Rika smiled a little. "Seika," she greeted. "Morning training?"

Seika nodded. "Ishigawa-buchou is a slave driver." She nearly whined, and Rika chuckled. The current captain of the girls' tennis team – Ishigawa Saya – makes Sanada and Yanagi combined look like angels during training. Seika then perked up. "But still, she said that I'm getting better at tennis techniques and moves!"

Rika laughed. "Ishigawa-sempai is a tough taskmistress, but she's a good captain and trainer," she said. She then looked at the girl standing beside Seika. "Is that your friend?"

Seika looked at the girl and back to Rika. "How rude of me!" she nearly exclaimed before pushing her friend forwards. "Rika-sempai, this is my best friend. We're in the same class together, and we're in the tennis team as well. Yagyuu Yurika."

Rika blinked. "Yagyuu?" she echoed before looking at Yurika who looked rather embarrassed. "Are you Yagyuu-sempai's younger sister?"

"Hai, Rika-sempai," said Yurika.

"Oi! Rika! What's taking you so long?!" Kevin's irritable voice sounded just then as he rounded around the corner. "Are you coming…or…not…?"

Kevin trailed off as he laid eyes on Yurika, and for a moment, he seemed almost dumbstruck. Yurika blinked as she caught sight of Kevin as well. "Sempai?"

"Yurika-chan?"

Seika blinked and looked from one to the other. "Do the two of you know each other?" she asked, looking from Kevin to Yurika and back again.

Yurika nodded, turning towards her friend. "He's the sempai that I told you about who saved me from those bullies."

Seika didn't look pleased. "They're after you again?" she asked, frowning. "Why didn't you tell me about it?"

Rika frowned. "What bullies?" she asked. Bullying left a bad aftertaste in her mouth, and she don't tolerate any kind of bullying.

"Some girls have been picking on her recently," explained Seika, ignoring Yurika's pleading look. "We think that they're upperclassmen. They've left me alone so far probably because of nii-san's influence in Rikkaidai, and they knew that I'm on pretty good terms with Rika-sempai. Some of the upperclassmen boys have been chasing after us recently."

Rika chuckled, not missing the looks that Yurika and Kevin shot at each other, and from the looks of things, Seika didn't miss it too. "Welcome to the horrors known as RFC, otherwise known as Rabid Fan Club." Seika chuckled, and Rika turned serious. "Do you know the names of those bullies?" She asked. "I'll tell Riku about it. He's the Student Council representative of our class this year…as all sophomore classes are to have the minimum of one Student Council representative in their class."

Seika frowned. "I only ever heard the name of the leader," she said. "I think that the other bullies call her 'Miore'. Right, Yuri-chan?"

Yurika nodded. "The other sempais call her 'Miore'," she said. "We think that they're sophomores."

Rika frowned to herself. "Miore…" she muttered darkly. "I think I know who it is. Shungaki…" She muttered something beneath her breath. "Alright, I'm afraid that you two have to get going to your morning practice. Our morning practices are about to begin soon as well. And Ishigawa-sempai don't tolerate tardiness."

Seika took a look at her watch. "Yikes! We're about to be late!" she yelped before grabbing Yurika by the wrist. "Rika-sempai! I'll see you later! Ja ne!" And she took off towards the direction of the tennis courts of the girls' tennis team.

Rika sighed as she saw Kevin looking in the direction where the two girls have gone and bonked him lightly on the head, and Kevin turned towards her. "She's already gone," she said tiredly. "If you really like her, why don't you just say so?" She sighed.

Kevin blushed as he followed Rika to the tennis courts. "Is it really that obvious?" he asked after awhile, a slight blush on his face.

Rika rolled her eyes. "Any idiot with brains and eyes can tell, Kevin," she said. "It's _that _obvious. Save us all a headache, and go and tell her. It's obvious that she likes you too."

Kevin blinked owlishly as Rika entered the courts. "H-Huh?! What do you mean? Rika!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

During training for the tennis team that day after school…

The regulars were tired…very very tired. Not only have they managed to survive the Demon Vice-Captain's (Rika) training, but Rika had also decided to be unmerciful and made them all run laps with buckets of water in each hand. So now, all the regulars were sore, cranky, and on the verge of fainting from over exhaustion.

Rika sighed as she took a look at the sorry states of the regulars all about the tennis courts after a harsh day of training and running laps with the new training regime that Shuu had came up with which includes each of them wearing twenty kilograms of metal lead blocks on their ankles with an extra ten kilograms on their wrists. The only regulars who somehow still managed to remain standing are Rika, Kirihara, Kevin, Haruki and Shuu. The former three have already gone through that training – but harsher – the previous year, and Haruki had probably also gone through the same training. But Shuu…they were not sure.

Takahiro somehow still managed to keep his dignity despite being tired out, but the twins looked like they were about to die. Ryou was leaning against Hikaru, looking like he was about to pass out.

Kevin sighed. "Come on, you guys surely can't be _that _useless?" he said in mild exasperation. "This is probably _half _of the training that _we _did last year! We only got Shuu to lower the standard a little because this is probably your first time doing the weight training."

Hikaru grunted, forcing himself to sit upright. "Well, EX-cuse me for not being able to handle nearly thirty kilograms of metal blocks all of a sudden, Kevin!" he snapped.

Rika sighed. "Well, you guys are just starting out, so it's alright," she said. "But once you've gotten used to the weights, we'll be increasing it. The Kanagawa Districts tournament is nearly upon us, and I'm not satisfied with your level yet. We have our reputation as champions to keep."

"With the ball machines training, the sound training, weight training, gym training, running…" Ryou ticked the points off his fingers and nearly groaned. "Rika. Are you trying to kill us or something?"

Kevin chuckled. "Wait until you see Seigaku's training regime from last year," he said with an evil grin. "I've heard that all of them risk getting poisoned should they be unable to continue with their running or unable to continue training."

The rest of the regulars – save for Kirihara and Rika who knew what he's talking about – blinked in confusion. "Poison?"

Kirihara coughed into his hand to hide his laughter. "Trust me, you don't want to know," he said. He then glanced at Shuu who was standing by the side, recording some data into his notebook, reminding him of Yanagi, only instead of Shuu's notebook being green, it's blue in colour. "Shuu, bring out the board."

Shuu nodded, and a few moments later, the board that was usually in the clubroom was standing before the regulars. The rest of the club have already been dismissed awhile ago as training for the tennis regulars is harsher and much more intense than the normal club members. In fact, many of the club members are muttering something about Shuu, Rika, Kirihara and Kevin being much more sadistic and harsh than Yanagi, Sanada and Yukimura combined.

The regulars have all caught their breaths back by then, and were all sitting down on the ground, with Rika and Kirihara standing on either side of the board, with Kevin and Shuu sitting on the ground with the rest of the regulars, Shuu having his notebook in his hand still.

Rika cleared her throat before tapping on the board before her. On one side of the board was pinned a large piece of paper which seemed to be the names of the schools that would be competing in the Kanagawa Districts tournament which is about a month from now. On the other side of the board was pinned a large piece of paper which seemed to be training regimes for the regulars as well as the non-regulars, though the regulars' training were two times the training of the non-regulars.

"Alright, as you can see, the Districts are nearly at hand," said Rika, tapping the paper on which the names of the schools that would be competing were written on. "As we are the school that had won the Nationals as champion last year, we're automatically placed in first seed. But that doesn't mean that the other schools are weak."

Kirihara took up the mantle next. "The strength between the team last year and the team this year is too much of a difference," he said. "If I might speak the truth, the only ones who _are _currently at National-level standard are only Kevin, Rika, myself and Haruki. Takahiro…probably, but his stamina is a problem."

Rika sighed. _"This _is the reason why we've been pushing you so hard for the past month or so," she said. "As you know, Rikkaidai does not have a coach. We do not have _any_ in the entire history of the tennis team. We also have our reputations to keep, and I most definitely do _not _want any of you losing before the Nationals!"

The regulars looked ashamed of themselves for a moment.

"If we can improve our stamina and strength, along with speed, we can improve our techniques," remarked Shuu, and Kirihara and Rika both nodded. "All of us already have some pretty good tennis techniques…probably able to rival with last year's sempais. A big 'if', if you catch my drift. But our level is definitely not on par with them just yet."

Kirihara nodded. "That's why I've gotten Shuu to write up some new training regimes for the lot of you," he said. "I can guarantee you this, especially since Rika, Kevin and myself went through that last year. If you can make it through the training regime and increase your training, your tennis skill will improve drastically. That's how we've been training last year."

"In other words, if we can survive the training, we might be able to reach buchou and fukubuchou's level of tennis?" asked Ryou, and Rika nodded.

Rika then looked at her watch and glanced at the sky only to see that the sun is quickly setting, and turned towards the regulars. "Alright. Training is over for today. Dismissed!"

**

* * *

**Sora and Riku grinned as they meet Rika half-an-hour later outside the tennis clubroom where the rest of the team have changed into their school uniforms. Seika and Yurika were also present. All four of them have seen the training of the regulars from beginning to the end, and kind of felt sorry for the poor regulars.

"A little harsh on them, don't you think?" asked Sora, and Rika rolled her eyes as Kevin exited from the clubroom.

"They'll live," said Rika. "Besides, if we can survive Yanagi-sempai's training last year, they can as well. It won't kill them."

"By the way, want to catch a quick bite at the burger restaurant in town?" asked Riku. "It's been a while since we've been there. And you might as well get the rest of the team along."

"I guess it won't hurt," mused Kirihara as the rest of the team exited from the clubroom and Rika locked the door.

"Kevin, your treat today?" asked Ryou with an evil grin.

Kevin was about to protest, knowing the appetites of Kirihara and Ryou's, when a soft voice broke through his thoughts.

"Sempai, you're giving a treat?" asked Yurika.

"Erm…" Kevin stuttered, glancing from Yurika to the rest of the team. "Uh…yeah."

"What's up with Kevin?" asked Ryou in confusion, turning towards Shuu. "Is he ill or something?"

Shuu rolled his eyes at his best friend's denseness. Is he really that oblivious?

"It's a long story," he said.

"Love can move even mountains," muttered Takahiro, slinging his bag across his chest, and the tennis regulars exchanged looks. Can anybody apart from their vice-captain even figure out the weird phrases that their resident Chessmaster kept mumbling about?

Rika sighed at the behaviour of her team, and Seika giggled.

"Takahiro! How about you?" asked Hikari, slinging an arm around Takahiro's shoulders before the boy can slink away, much to the Chessmaster's annoyance. "You're coming too, right?"

Takahiro grunted. "…just this once," was all that he said.

"Alright! Let's go, everybody!" Hikari cheered, pumping a fist into the air before leading the way to the burger restaurant.

Silently, Kevin began to say a final farewell to his wallet. His money would all be gone in a few minutes.

* * *

_A/N: Next chapter will be the Kanagawa Districts. I'm not sure if I should bring in Jyousei for the districts tournament especially since I have to think up of several OCs to replace Wakato, Kajimoto and the rest of the team who were third years the previous year. Also, regarding my other Prince of Tennis fanfic, I'll complete this story first before focusing on the other especially since I'm also thinking of the story plot for that._

_Anyway, I hope that you like this chapter, and please read and review!_


	36. First Match

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Thirty Six: First Match**

Rikkaidai Fuzoku…

Said to be the Kantou region's number one school for all kinds of sports…

And where the students in the individual sports clubs are said to be nearly at the level of professionals in their own game…

And where the school had taken the championship trophy for every kind of tournament available…year after year…

And the most famous of all clubs in the school is the tennis club, which Rikkaidai Fuzoku had been the unbeaten champion for three consecutive years, and their last year's ace player was a freshman girl who had managed to unlock all three doors of the Muga no Kyouchi, and is also said to be almost on the same playing level as Japan's number one middle school player from last year – Yukimura Seiichi – and is now currently Rikkaidai Fuzoku's tennis club's vice-captain, as well as their number one player.

And right now, said tennis player is having a major migraine the size of Mount Fuji.

"The Kanagawa districts tournament is in a week." Kirihara was saying as himself, Rika, Shuu and Kevin sat in an unoccupied classroom on the second level of the school which oversees the tennis courts where the entire tennis club – regulars and non-regulars – were practicing earnestly. "Any ideas for the line-ups?"

Rika was currently sitting on one of the benches, with the line-ups form for the first match of the Kanagawa districts tournament on the table before her, tapping her pen on the surface of the tabletop in a steady rhythm. Kirihara was currently leaning against the wall next to the window and Kevin and Shuu were seated on the bench in front of Rika, turning around to face the girl in question.

It was always the captain and vice-captain of the team to decide the line-ups, and right now, Kevin and Shuu were both giving them a hand. Shuu because he's the manager of the team, and Kevin because he usually had the job of overseeing the team's training, and know the skills of the team the best.

Shuu frowned as he recalled what he had found out about the districts tournament. "If I'm right, the team won't have much problem for the first few matches. We should probably only face some worthy opponents in the finals of the districts tournament."

"Regardless, we still can't let our guard down," said Kevin, and Rika and Kirihara nodded. "Regarding the line-ups for the first match…any ideas?"

Kirihara and Rika exchanged looks.

"I'm thinking of putting the twins in doubles two," said Rika, looking up, and everyone nodded. "Those two worked best in doubles, compared to singles, and they almost worked like one complete entity. Almost like they're a single person. Give and take a few months and a little more experience in matches, and they should be able to achieve Synchro like Jackal-sempai and Bunta from last year."

Kevin sighed. "Well, those two are kind of weak in singles," he said sensibly. "So there is nearly no hope of putting them in singles. Those two make up one of our best doubles pairs at present."

Rika glanced at Kirihara whom nodded and she turned back towards the line-ups form and wrote down the names of the twins in the doubles two column: _Fuuma Hikari and Fuuma Hikaru._

"What about doubles one?" asked Shuu, looking over his notes.

Rika frowned, tapping her pen repeatedly on the tabletop. "I'm thinking of letting Takahiro sit out the first match this time around," she said. "He kind of had the same ability that I did. He's pretty observant, and plays a form of strategy tennis which is where he got the nickname of the 'Chessmaster' from. He learns much more from watching the matches of other players than actually playing."

"So you're putting him as reserve for the first match, and letting him out to play for the next match?" asked Kirihara, and Rika nodded.

"Depending on our second opponent, I may or may not allow him to play," said Rika. "He's one of our best singles players, but unlike the rest of us, he can never work well in doubles, thus, we can only put him in singles. But seeing as how the singles three, two and one spots are usually taken by Kirihara, Kevin and myself, he can only play in a match if one of us plays in doubles."

Kevin nodded slowly. "I don't think that he'll be too pleased to hear that though," he said before changing the subject. "So…doubles one. Who will it be?"

Kirihara frowned before looking out of the window at the regulars having practice matches against each other down on the tennis courts before turning back towards his vice-captain. "What about Shuu and Ryou?" he asked, and Shuu blinked.

"Huh?"

Rika perked up in interest at the mention of one Takeda Ryou. That boy is a bit of a mystery…even for her. In all their practice matches against each other for the past three months or so, Ryou only showed what that he needs to win. Granted, Rika hadn't played against him yet, but she'd put Ryou in a practice match against Haruki, Kevin and Takahiro once. It was a close draw with each of those matches, and the victor could have just as easily gone to any side. All the training that the rest of the team have been doing for the past three months had been paying off, and they're each nearly at National level standard. Nearly, of course. But not just yet. But give and take a few months, and they'll be at National level soon. Hopefully, the experience gained at the districts tournament will help them grow stronger.

"Doubles?" repeated Shuu, blinking. "Are you sure? Can Ryou even play in doubles?"

"No, I want him in doubles this time," said Rika, frowning a little, and all three boys turned towards her. She looked up at her teammates. "Until now, we had never really seen Ryou's true ability in tennis. He tends to hide it a lot, and only used what is required to win in his matches. But even still, I suspected that he lost on purpose to Haruki and Kevin that time. In a doubles match, it'll be nearly impossible to hide. Granted, it'll be probably better if we put him in singles, but I want to see how he fairs in a doubles match."

Kirihara, Kevin and Shuu were nodding slowly to Rika's logic.

"Very well," said Kirihara with a nod. He then turned towards Shuu. "Shuu, is it alright with you?"

Shuu shrugged. "I'm alright with it," he said. "Furthermore, I might be able to know more about his tennis skill and style if I'm paired with him in doubles. Other than Rika, Haruki and Takahiro, Ryou is the only one whom I can't collect accurate data on."

Rika, Kirihara and Kevin sweat dropped.

_Talk about Yanagi-sempai version 2.0._

Rika coughed. "Very well," she said, writing Ryou and Shuu's names into the doubles one column. "So Takuga Shuu and Takeda Ryou. Doubles one." She then looked up at Kevin and Kirihara. "Singles three?"

Kirihara and Kevin exchanged looks. "I'll sit the first match out," said Kevin suddenly, and Rika blinked. "You know my skills already, Rika. You've seen me play in matches before, but the rest of them hadn't. We need to judge their skills and tennis ability in an actual match rather than a practice match. If you're going to let Takahiro play in the second match, let Haruki have my singles two spot for the first match."

Rika nodded slowly and turned towards Kirihara. "Is it alright with you, Kirihara?"

Kirihara nodded. "Kevin has a point as well," he said. "Because the three of us were already in the team last year, we knew each other's tennis skill on the courts. But the new regulars are different. We don't know what they're capable of except for what we knew back then during the tryouts. In an actual tournament with pressure on them to win, more of their skill and ability might be brought out."

Rika sighed and nodded, filling in the columns of the singles three, two and one spots. "Very well," she said. "Singles three, Kirihara. Singles two, Haruki. Singles one, me." She looked at the form as she finished filling in their names. "That concludes the match line-ups for the first match of the districts tournament then."

**

* * *

**The sun was setting and the skies were nearly darkening as Rika locked up the tennis clubroom as the birds were flying back home to roost.

Training had ended about an hour ago, but Rika had the job to lock up the tennis courts as well as the clubroom after every training session. Training that day had gone smoothly, and it seems like the regulars' hard work at training for the past three or so months had been paying off.

"Rika-sempai!"

Rika turned around as she locked the door of the tennis clubroom with the key, trying the doorknob to ensure that it's securely locked, only to see Seika coming towards her, the strap of her tennis bag strapped across her chest, and hanging securely on her back.

"Seika-chan," said Rika as she picked up her tennis bag which was sitting on the ground beside her. "What's up?"

Seika fidgeted about on one foot before looking up at Rika. "It's about my tennis," she said hesitantly. "I can't seem to return the balls effectively for some reason. Several of the returns used by some of the sempais in the tennis club always ended up in the net or out for some reason."

Rika frowned a little, studying Seika. "Are you using the correct grip?" she asked, and Seika nodded.

"I use the Western Grip like how nii-san taught me," said Seika. "But still, I kept losing points because of either faults or out."

Rika frowned. "Seika, show me how you use the grip on your racquet," she said, and Seika nodded before unzipping her bag and taking out a light blue tennis racquet before showing Rika how she hold her racquet with the Western Grip in her right hand.

Rika's sharp eyes noted the slight inconsistency immediately with how Seika held her racquet and how she herself usually held her racquet. "I think I see the problem now," she said before turning to Seika. "Did you pick out this racquet yourself without getting your brother or cousin's help?" Seika nodded. "I thought so. The grip of this racquet is not suitable for you." Rika thought for a moment before turning towards Seika. "I'm going to the racquet shop to restring my racquets anyway. Come with me. We'll get you a better racquet."

Seika's face lit up. "Thank you!"

**

* * *

**"I'm back." Rika called out as she entered her house two hours later, and her brow rose as she noticed an extra pair of shoes that _isn't _hers or Kevin. "Okaa-san, do we have a guest?" She asked as she walked into the kitchen and saw Haruki sitting at the kitchen table with Kevin. "Haruki?"

Haruki grinned and waved to Rika. "Yo. Hope that you don't mind my intrusion," he said.

"What are you doing here anyway?" asked Rika as she opened the fridge door and took out a can of grape Ponta.

"Well, my parents are going to Hokkaido to visit my grandmother," explained Haruki. "And seeing as how they'll only be back the day after tomorrow, I asked Echizen-san if I can stay over just for two days as we have the districts tournament tomorrow."

"Oh," said Rika. "Well then, you can share Kevin's room, and hopefully, you can drag him out of bed tomorrow. He tends to oversleep on match days."

"Oi!"

Haruki laughed as Kevin let out an indignant squawk.

"It'll be my pleasure."

**

* * *

**The next morning, Rika was already up and already dressed and everything at seven in the morning. Rikkaidai was supposed to report in to the authorities at the tennis park where the Kanagawa districts tournament were currently being held at nine in the morning.

Sighing, Rika slung her tennis bag over her shoulder before walking to Kevin's door and knocked on it. "Haruki! I know that you're awake! Drag Kevin out of bed and—"

The door slowly swung opened only to reveal a smiling Kevin at the door, already dressed in his tennis jersey, and somewhere behind him, Haruki could be seen hunting for something in the miraculously untidy room when Nanako had just cleaned Kevin's room the previous day.

"Good morning, Rika."

Rika blinked. "Er…good morning?" she said unsurely. "You're actually awake? And you're ready and everything?"

"Yeah, and somebody didn't even have the common decency to wake _me _up," grumbled Haruki somewhere behind Kevin, still searching for whatever that he's searching for on the ground whilst on his hands and knees.

Rika rolled her eyes. "You were supposed to wake HIM up," she retorted, hands planted on her hips. _"That _was the whole point of sleeping over!"

Haruki grumbled a little beneath his breath. "But seeing as how he's up anyway, he could have—"

"Alright! Let's go!" Rika interrupted whatever Haruki was about to say, having had the feeling that if she don't interrupt Haruki, he might very well continue until the next day. "Haruki, just what are you searching for? We're going to be late if we keep this up!"

"My grip tape," announced Haruki, showing a roll of it to Rika which had somehow rolled under his bed. "Anyway, I've already found it, so let's go!"

Rika rolled her eyes before making her way down the stairs.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Kanagawa Districts Tournament  
__08:20am_

Rika was frowning, tapping her foot repeatedly on the pavement and glancing at her watch which currently read 08:20am every now and then, and even as she watched, another minute ticked by on her watch. The rest of the team, save for their captain, were already assembled not too far away from where the authorities' tent are, and all the schools in the Kanagawa district which were participating in the districts tournament were giving Rikkaidai a wide berth, glancing at said team warily as Rikkaidai's yellow and black jerseys stood out like a sore thumb.

"Where is he?" Rika muttered impatiently, looking at her watch again, the match line-ups form in one hand. "He's so late!"

"Where's buchou?" wondered Hikaru, looking up and down the entrance to the tennis park where they were currently in. "If we don't submit our match line-ups form in forty minutes, it's considered forfeiture on our part."

"Ara? Rika?"

The entire Rikkaidai team blinked as one and turned around to see the a tennis team wearing the tennis team jerseys from Rikkaidai High standing behind them, all with a tennis bag each slung over their shoulders save for the captain who had his bag clutched in one hand.

"Bunta! Sempai tachi!" said Rika, rather surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"We have our matches held here as well," explained Yagyuu. "Only that the high school section is in sector two, and the middle school section is in sector one." He then gave a glance over at the rest of the team standing behind Rika, and so did the other former regulars for that matter. "So they're the new regulars?" Yagyuu gave a rare smile. "They seemed strong. Do your best."

The team nodded. "Hai!"

Yukimura looked at concern with his girlfriend who seemed irritated about something, and the rest of the team were all giving their vice-captain a wide berth, even Kevin who seemed wary of setting his best friend off.

"What's wrong, Rika?" asked Yukimura. "Why hadn't you turned in the match line-ups form yet?"

The rest of the high schoolers looked on with curiosity as well, curious as to why Rika hadn't submitted the match line-ups form for the tennis team.

Rika nearly groaned. "I hadn't because Kirihara hasn't shown up!" she said. "He's in singles three, and I can't submit the form until he's here!"

Sanada frowned and looked at the clock above Rika's head which currently read 08:35am. He then turned towards his captain who was frowning slightly and looking at his watch. "Buchou, didn't Akaya leave the house the same time that you did?"

His captain frowned and looked at his vice-captain who shrugged. "I left the house at around six in the morning," he said. "Akaya was still asleep when I left, and my mother told me that she'll wake him at seven." He sighed. "I'll assume that he went back to bed then. That brother of mine is hard to wake up once he sleeps."

Rika sighed, inviting attention from everyone around her. "No choice then," she muttered, fishing out her cellphone from her pocket and dialling in Kirihara's number before pressing her cellphone to her ear. Three rings later, the phone was picked up. "KIRIHARA! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU??!! THE MATCH WILL BEGIN IN TWENTY MINUTES!!"

Himura Haruka – the vice-captain of the tennis team of Rikkaidai High – winced. "Whoa. She's got a set of lungs on her," he muttered, and Marui who was standing beside him laughed.

On the other end of the line, Rika could almost see Kirihara wince, and she could hear sounds of car honks and sounds of cars and engines on the road. _"I'm sorry, Rika! I overslept!" _Kirihara tried to explain. _"And I'm currently stuck in a traffic jam. There's been some accident involving a bus and a car up the road. I'll probably be there in about forty-five minutes, judging by the road situation, give and take a few minutes."_

Rika nearly groaned. Forty-five minutes?

"Fine," she said with a sigh. "Give me a call once you've arrived."

"_Gotcha." Click._

"Fukubuchou?" Ryou questioned, and Rika sighed, turning towards her team, ignoring the very interested high schoolers currently behind her. "Kirihara is currently stuck in a traffic jam as there's some kind of accident involving a bus and a car on the road that he's currently on. He'll probably be here in approximately forty-five minutes, so we have no choice but to change the line-ups for the first match." She fished out a pen from her pocket and did some amendments on the match line-ups form in her hand. She glanced at Takahiro. "Takahiro, I know that you're on reserve for our first match, but do you think that you can stand in for singles one this time?"

Takahiro blinked and nodded. "I guess so…" he mused.

"Good." Rika sighed before looking at her team. "Alright, there'll be some slight changes to the line-ups for the first match, so listen up." She glanced at the form in her hand and back to her team. "Doubles two, Hikari and Hikaru." The twins nodded; both knew that they'll still be playing in doubles no matter what, as they're kind of weak in singles, singles play not being their strong point. "Doubles one, Kevin and myself." Kevin nodded, not showing his surprise. "Haruki, singles three." Haruki nodded. "Ryou, you're in singles two." Ryou nodded. "Shuu, sorry, but you'll be on the bench as reserve for the first match." Shuu nodded understandingly. "And finally, Takahiro, you'll be in singles one."

"Well, we'll make a move first," said Yukimura, smiling as always. "We have our own matches as well. If we finish early, we'll try to watch your matches."

Rika nodded. "Good luck."

"You too, Rika," said Sanada.

**

* * *

**The doubles two match ended surprisingly quickly.

It barely lasted five minutes before the extremely shocked referee was announcing the score of 6-0 to Rikkaidai Fuzoku against this no-name school that Rika don't even bother knowing the name of. The twins had done extremely well against their opponents for their first match, not even allowing their opponent to get one point in, and they moved extremely quickly from one point to the next…even with their wrist weights and ankle weights on.

Hikari was the speed in their doubles combination, taking the front end, and reaching most balls that his twin can't reach from the back, and Hikaru was the power and defensive player in their doubles combination. Together, the Fuuma twins formed a deadly combination, and are bound to be as good as Bunta and Jackal from last year in a couple of months.

Riku, Sora, Seika and Yurika have turned up at their match in the middle of the doubles two match, with Sora having his trusty camera as always, and Seika watching the match with interest. The girl is a little like Kevin and Takahiro – she learns as she plays in matches or watch matches.

As for doubles one, Kevin and Rika have to both resist the urge to laugh out loud as their opponents assumed that it'll be an easy win against the two of them as no one had ever seen Kevin and Rika play in doubles even once in Japan, and the two totally pulverised their opponents, much to said opponents' shock.

As expected from America's best doubles combination.

"Just because captains and vice-captains don't usually play in doubles doesn't mean that you should underestimate us," said Rika, tapping the frame of her racquet onto her shoulder repeatedly, still playing _right handed,_ as the severely shocked referee was announcing the score of 6-0 to Rikkaidai Fuzoku after three minutes – the match having ended even earlier than Hikari and Hikaru's match.

Haruki turned towards Shuu who was seated on the bench with his notebook opened on his lap, his pen in one hand, and a stopwatch in the other. "Shuu. Time?"

Shuu was slightly shocked as he answered, reading and re-reading the time reading on the stopwatch that he's currently holding as if hoping that he was reading wrong. "Three minutes and one second," he said. "That's fast…even for them."

"I'm up next then," said Haruki with a cheeky grin as he picked up his tennis racquet as Kevin and Rika returned to the bench. "We have to play all five matches for the first match in the districts tournament, right?"

Shuu nodded. "It's part of the rules," he said. "End it as quickly as possible, Haruki. I think we all want to see what we're each capable of after the fukubuchou's insane training for three months straight."

"Hai. Hai," said Haruki tiredly as he walked out onto the courts, the frame of his racquet tapping on his shoulder repeatedly. Five minutes later, Haruki was smiling as he walked back to his team, looking so much like his cousin, leaving his opponent nearly in tears on the courts, mumbling some incoherent words as the referee was announcing the score of 6-0.

"Next, Ryou," said Shuu, scribbling into his notebook. "You're up." Silence. Shuu looked up. "Ryou, you're up!" He repeated, slightly louder this time, and Ryou yawned from his spot on the bench, leaning against the pillar frame of the shelter, rubbing his eyes. "Wake up!"

"Hai. Hai," said Ryou tiredly, rubbing his eyes as he took his racquet from Hikaru who gave it to him. "I just have to win, right?" He grumbled a little as he dragged himself to the court where his rather bewildered opponent was staring at him like he had suddenly grown two new heads. "What a drag. I wish I was a cloud, then I could just take everything easy and just go where the wind takes me." He muttered as he approached the net where his opponent stood waiting, stifling a yawn. "Nice to meet you. Sophomore, Takeda Ryou desu. Please go easy on me."

"O-Oi…" muttered Riku, his eyes wide. "Are you for real?"

Rika laughed as she watched Ryou and his opponent toss for sides. "I know what you mean, but yes, this is Ryou's usual behaviour," she said. "Shuu told me that he usually slept in class all day, yet could still manage to get good grades despite sleeping in class all day. Ryou is the typical lazy type, but he trains properly, and he's a good player. One of our best, in fact. He's a volley player like Bunta. Yet he also had some other techniques up his sleeve."

Five minutes later, Ryou was yawning as he walked off the courts, stifling a yawn, leaving his severely shocked opponent staring at him with his mouth opened as the referee was announcing the score of 6-0.

"Good work, Ryou," said Rika with a nod.

"Thanks," said Ryou, stifling a yawn as he sat back in his spot on the bench. "I think I'll take a nap now. Wake me when it's over." And he immediately went straight to la-la-land.

Kevin sighed as he looked at Ryou. "What did this guy do last night for him to be THIS tired?" he asked, exasperated and half-amused.

Shuu rolled his eyes at this. "Don't ask me," he said calmly, scribbling some new data into his notebook. "Ryou and I have been friends ever since we're in kindergarten, and I still have no idea why he's always so tired. Yet unlike how he looks, he's extremely intelligent, if not a bit dense."

"Yeah, I can see that," said Hikari with a snort. "He almost always tied with you in first place in class, isn't it?"

Shuu rolled his eyes as the referee was calling for the players of the singles one match to enter the courts which Takahiro did, ignoring his nervous wreck of an opponent who after having seen all his teammates getting pulverised one after the other by Rikkaidai, was wondering just what his own opponent will be like.

"Let's have a good match," said Takahiro in his usual monotone voice before they both tossed for sides and Takahiro had first service.

Five minutes later, the Chessmaster was walking off the courts, with the referee announcing the score of 6-0, the Chessmaster's sharp eyes having noticed that his opponent's weak point were the ends of the courts, and nearly always aimed for baseline balls, allowing him an easy win.

All in all, Rikkaidai's first match barely lasted thirty minutes, and as the Rikkaidai team were packing up their bags, ready to head to the nearby cafeteria for a quick lunch before their next match, with Shuu shaking Ryou awake, who should turn up but their currently MIA (missing-in-action) captain, currently out of breath, and seeming like he had ran all the way from the bus-stop to where Rikkaidai currently were.

"Sorry!" Kirihara apologised, hunched over on his hands and knees, trying to catch his breath back, beads of sweat on his face. "Did I miss all your matches?"

Rika, Kevin and Shuu exchanged glances before sighing, the vice-captain herself studying Kirihara. "It just ended," she said. "It's a straight win, six games to love for all five matches. And it seems like you've just finished your warming up. You'll be in singles three for the next match. But for now, let's get a quick lunch before going over to sector two to watch the sempais' matches."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Kanagawa Districts Tournament  
__One Hour Later_

"…and so, the champion of this year's Kanagawa Districts Tournament is Rikkaidai Fuzoku! With the runner-up being Jyousei Shounan! We look forward to seeing both schools' performances in the Kanagawa Tournament! That is all!"

Jyousei Shounan's strength had gone down a little, compared to the previous year when Rikkaidai had played them. The only players left from last year who had played Rikkaidai in last year's preliminary rounds of the Kantou tournament were Kiriyama Daichi and the twins – Tanaka Kouhei and Tanaka Youhei.

The Tanaka twins were predictably in doubles two as usual, and Daichi played in doubles one with a new doubles partner – a senior. But even with the fight that they put up, Rikkaidai still managed to clinch the Kanagawa districts tournament's championship in singles three. Jyousei's new captain turned out to be Kiriyama Daichi, and Rika secretly wondered if that's a good or a bad thing.

Rikkaidai High managed to clinch the championship as well, and actually managed to watch the finals between Rikkaidai and Jyousei. The doubles two match was like a showdown between twins. It was Fuuma Hikari and Fuuma Hikaru of Rikkaidai Fuzoku against Tanaka Kouhei and Tanaka Youhei of Jyousei Shounan.

Hikari and Hikaru won, of course, though the Tanaka twins just managed to get one game past the two by the skin of their teeth which didn't please Hikari and Hikaru a lot, and the Fuuma twins vowed to train even harder from now on.

Doubles one was Takeda Ryou and Takuga Shuu against Daichi and his new doubles partner. Jyousei got first service and got one game past them before the two counter-attacked and won the next six games easily within ten minutes.

Then singles three was Takahiro against some senior, and Takahiro won with seemingly no effort at all, though Rika's observation ability did detect that something was up with Takahiro which no one else seemed to have noticed…

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Kanagawa District_

"_Another _violin competition?!" Rika nearly groaned as she was nearly pulled into the music store by her two best friends – Satochi Riku and Shinderui Sora.

The Kanagawa districts tournament had ended about an hour ago, and Kirihara had decided to treat his team at the nearby burger restaurant as a result of their victory at the districts tournament which nearly bankrupted the poor captain, much to his dismay, as a few members of his team seemed to have bottomless pits for stomachs. A few of the boys like Takahiro, Kevin and Haruki were kind enough to pitch in to help pay the bill. Riku, Sora, Seika and Yurika were extremely amused at this as they saw that Kirihara looked about to faint when the waitress had presented him with the bill.

The tennis team from Rikkaidai High would have joined them as well, but unfortunately, their much sadistic captain and vice-captain decided to whisk the entire team back to the school for more training, seeing as how it's still early – merely three in the afternoon.

And thus, after the meal, the entire team went their separate ways, though Rika is ready to bet her next week's allowance that most, if not all of them would be training somewhere by themselves or with their partners. Shuu, Kevin, Rika and Kirihara have all gone over the team's performances in the tournament earlier, and whilst the latter two were pretty impressed with their performances, each of the regulars having performed better than expected, they're still not satisfied.

Rika herself was about to go to the nearby tennis center to practice against some ball machines when Riku and Sora have both 'kidnapped' her and dragged her to the nearby music store to assist Riku in picking some music pieces for his upcoming violin competition which will be held in a couple of months.

A fairly important violin competition whereas violinists from all over the world would be competing against each other for the title of Music Maestro which would be held in Japan this year. Riku is the only one from Japan who would be participating in the tournament as the authorities from the Music Orchestra in Japan had seen Riku's performance in the Musical Nationals the previous year and were extremely impressed with his talent and ability, and thus, decided to send Riku as Japan's representative in the competition. Because Tanaka Takahiro who was the former Music Maestro for the past five or so years had retired from the musical and chess scene for some odd reason, Riku was the only representative from Japan.

"Sorry!" Riku apologised as he led the way to the violin section of the music store. "But I've clean ran out of ideas on what to play for the upcoming competition. It's no small one either, and neither is it like any of the usual competitions that I usually participated in. This competition will have violinists' participants from all over the world. That's why I need the best musical pieces that I can get my hands on."

Rika sighed. "Then why did you ask me along?" she grumbled. "I don't play the violin, Riku."

"Well, you _listen _to concerts and musical pieces." Sora piped in helpfully. "So we thought that you might have a better ear than Riku and myself for this."

"I was thinking of either Canon in D or Johann Sebastian Bach's Partita in E minor for the first round, or maybe Georg Philipp Telemann's Twelve Fantasia," said Riku absent-mindedly as he browsed through the violin pieces on the rack where the musical notes of the various pieces were being displayed.

"You've gotten me lost on that last one," grumbled Rika, and Sora laughed. "Why don't you play The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi?" She suggested. "That's one of my favourites among the violin pieces, and from what I've heard, it's not easy to play as well."

Riku turned towards Rika. "The Four Seasons?" he echoed before frowning. "I've heard my old music teacher play that one in a charity event that I've gone to as a kid in Europe. It has several high and low tones, and is kind of difficult to master…" He trailed off.

"That's the whole point of music competitions, isn't it?" said Rika patiently. "You put words into your music. Antonio Vivaldi's The Four Seasons is one of the best violin pieces out there. Though you can try playing The Devil's Trill as your second piece in the competition."

"Yeah, I think I'll do that," said Riku, cheering up and picking the two violin pieces that his friend had suggested off the rack, and browsing through the racks for the third and final violin piece that he'll be playing for the competition. "What about the third piece?"

"Well…"

**

* * *

**Meanwhile on a train heading from the Tokyo district of Japan to Kanagawa, Tanaka Takahiro who was currently standing in a crowded train, still dressed in his tennis team jersey of Rikkaidai Fuzoku winced in pain slightly as he looked down at his right ankle, testing it gingerly on the ground, feeling a sharp stab of pain going through his ankle just a moment earlier.

Takahiro frowned as he tested his foot gingerly on the ground, only to find that nothing is wrong with his foot. He was also not injured in any way during the match earlier, and in the middle of his match against Jyousei Shounan earlier, he had felt a sharp stab of pain went though his ankle as well, and that had surprised him enough to cause him to lose a point.

He only hoped that it's nothing major and that neither Rika nor the team have noticed it.

Takahiro frowned as he tested his foot gingerly on the ground once more.

'_Again? What is going on?'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Finals of Tokyo Districts Tournament  
__Seishun Gakuen versus Fudomine Chuu_

"G-Game and match. Game won by Seishun Gakuen's Smith. S-Six games to love."

"S-Shinji!"

Two of Fudomine's regulars ran onto the courts to retrieve their singles two player who was covered in bruises and injuries from head to toe, and said player winced and dropped his racquet as he tried to pick it up.

The faces of everyone present at the finals between Fudomine Chuu and Seishun Gakuen was one of shock. Fudomine was good enough to actually go to the semi-finals of last year's National tournament before being defeated by Shitenhouji Chuu from Osaka, and the singles two player of Fudomine Chuu was actually the current vice-captain of Fudomine's tennis team, and he was beaten so easily with a score of 6-0 in a mere five minutes by some nobody from Seigaku's tennis team?

The regulars of Seigaku were all shocked as well. Winning is one thing, but _injuring_ an opponent on purpose in order to win is simply crossing the line!

"Bastard…" Momoshiro Takeshi growled, balling his hands into fists. This reminded him an awful lot of Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Kirihara Akaya's Devil Tennis before he had sealed it away after the finals of the Kantou tournament last year.

"This is too much…" Kaidoh Kaoru, the vice-captain of Seigaku's tennis team growled, controlling himself from leaping into the courts and strangling his teammate.

No one in Seigaku had ever seen the singles two player of Seigaku's _real _tennis before as he only showed the minimum amount of skills necessary to claim his spot as one of the regulars during the ranking matches held by Seigaku a few months ago. Even Seigaku's coach, Ryuzaki Sumire was shocked.

Never in her wildest dreams had she dreamt that one of Seigaku's regulars would actually resort to something like this in order to win. And her player didn't just win. He totally _pulverised _his opponent. Ibu Shinji would most likely be required to spend a few weeks in the hospital for observation and treatment, and not to mention that he will mostly likely be emotionally scarred by this incident.

"Bastard!" Kamio Akira – the captain of Fudomine's tennis team – growled, balling his hands into fists as he actually walked towards the court, ready to bash up the singles two player of Seigaku had the rest of his teammates not stopped him. "What did Shinji ever do to you?! Must you do something like this in order to win?!"

"A-Akira…"

Kamio tore his eyes away from the singles two player of Seigaku before dashing to his best friend in record time, his nickname of 'speed demon' not just for show. Ibu Shinji was currently lying in a stretcher that the authorities had somehow taken out of nowhere whilst waiting for the ambulance to arrive, some of the medics trying to ease Shinji's pain somehow.

"Shinji…"

"D-Don't provoke him." Shinji managed to choke out without his eternal habit of mumbling incoherently beneath his breath, and the rest of his teammates looked on at their vice-captain and teammate with shock. "O-Or you'll be the next one…that he'll go after."

"Let him try!" said Kamio fiercely, kneeling by Shinji, and taking his hand. "I'll beat him!"

Shinji shook his head and winced as his injuries acted up again, and the medic tending to him immediately placed an ice pack to his head. "I'm serious, Akira," he said. "Just for me…take it as a teammate's request…don't…provoke him…and don't accept his challenge for a match…no matter what. You'll only end up like me! And Fudomine…can't afford to lose their captain at this point in time!"

"But—" Kamio protested before Shinji's next words stopped him in his tracks.

"We…promised Tachibana-san! We'll bring Fudomine to the Nationals…and we'll emerge as the champions this time around! That's why…please! Don't rise to his bait! Fudomine can't afford to lose their captain now!"

Kamio bit on his lower lip. Part of him wanted to just ignore his best friend's warnings and get some justice done on the player who had done this to his best friend. Another part of him wanted to just listen to Shinji and ignore what the Seigaku player would say or do.

Finally, after a long while, Kamio nodded hesitantly.

"I-I promise."

Shinji smiled. "Thank you," he said as paramedics entered the courts just then, and the tennis team of Fudomine as well as the two medics of the tennis authorities made way for the paramedics to do their job. After some immediate check-up of Shinji done on the spot, two of the paramedics lifted the stretcher up before leading the way to the ambulance which the entire Fudomine team followed a second later.

Half-an-hour later, as Seigaku and the one member of Fudomine left behind to receive their medals in the closing ceremony as part of the procedure, the rest of Seigaku's regulars cast their singles two player dirty looks before leaving, their glory and pride in attaining the championship at the districts tournament dampened by their teammate's behaviour, and disgust by the way that he had won his match.

Shinderui Shiki, a sophomore student of Seishun Gakuen and the current tennis club captain eyed his singles two player with a stern look which made him seem intimidating, despite the fact that the person whom he's glaring at is at least a head taller than him.

"That's a little too much, isn't it?" said Shiki sternly. Ryuzaki-sensei had left it to him to do the talking to, as unless otherwise, the coach don't interfere with the players. That's the captain's job. "Ibu-san couldn't have given you that much trouble in that match. You were winning right from the start. Why did you do something like that when you could have won easily even without injuring him on purpose to the extent when he has to be sent to the hospital?!"

Kenneth Smith, a sophomore student of Seishun Gakuen smirked at his captain, and some chills ran up Shiki's spine at the look that his player had given him, though he didn't let it show on the outside.

"What's the problem?" asked Kenneth arrogantly. "I won, didn't I? Who cares how I did it?"

"That's not the point here!" said Shiki, losing his temper, not noticing the fact that Kaidoh and Momoshiro have both stood a distance away behind Shiki, ready to step in to assist their captain should things turn ugly. Both of the seniors have a bad feeling about the new transfer student right from the start when he had joined the ranking matches of the tennis club a few months ago before the districts tournament. The only reason why both seniors didn't tell Shiki about it is because they didn't want to make things awkward for the new captain. "Tennis is about sports in the end! That behaviour of yours _isn't _sportsmanship at all!"

"Tennis is about winning and losing, isn't it?" said Kenneth without a care in the world. "As long as I win, who cares how I do it? Besides, Seigaku got their championship, isn't it? What are you still complaining for?"

"That's not a true win at all with how you actually won your match!" Momoshiro bellowed right next to Shiki's ear, causing the poor sophomore to jump about a foot in the air, and causing him to go temporarily deaf in the right ear for some time. "We were friends with Fudomine in a way! And with how you've actually 'won' your match, how do you expect us to ever face Fudomine again?! The way that you've won your match is the last thing that they've ever expected from us! How do you expect us to face Tezuka-buchou and Oishi-sempai again?!"

"Like I said, who cares about the match as long as I won it?" said Kenneth without a care in the world.

"You…!" Momoshiro growled and would have attacked Kenneth by this point in time had Kaidoh not restrained him. "Let go, Mamushi!"

"Calm the fuck down!" snapped the vice-captain. "If you attack him, you'll only make things worse! Do you want Seigaku to lose their right to go to the Tokyo tournament?!"

That managed to make Momoshiro restrain himself. Shiki turned a rather angry glare onto Kenneth, and to anyone who knew Shiki well knew that he never got angry before, and now, the captain was looking ready to kill.

"Kenneth, if you continue like this with all your matches, I'll kick you out of the team." Shiki threatened.

Kenneth smirked. "You can't," he said. "The Tennis Association would never allow it. As you know, they knew that I'm attending Seigaku now, and they would never allow me to be kicked out."

"That only applies to the American Tennis Association," said Shiki icily, acting like his nickname of 'Ice Prince'. "Besides, even if the Japan Tennis Association won't let you leave the team, all that I have to do is to tell them the reason why. Do you seriously think that they won't let me dismiss you from the team if they hear what I have to say?"

Kenneth grinned. "You _won't _and _can't _kick me out, Shinderui," he said.

Shiki's eyes darkened. "What do you mean?"

Kenneth grinned. "The tennis ability of the Seigaku of this year isn't up to last year's," he said. "The only ones good enough to go to the Nationals at present in the team apart from yourself are Kaidoh and Momoshiro—"

"That's '-sempai' to you!" Momoshiro shouted.

"—and I'm the only other person in the entire team whose tennis ability is at National level," said Kenneth, ignoring Momoshiro. "You made your old captain a promise, didn't you? You promised him that you will bring the team to the Nationals, and that Seigaku will emerge as champion this year. If you dismiss me from the team, your chances at getting into the Nationals will be nearly at nil."

Shiki frowned. "Don't think that you're so good and that we can't do without you," he said, a slight hint of anger in his voice, and Momoshiro and Kaidoh who both heard it gulped. If this is Shiki's voice when he's getting angry, then they'll hate to hear it when he's really pissed. "I can always get Inui-sempai to come to Seigaku every now and then to help us with the training. The team's ability and skill in tennis will then improve. He's the one who had written up our training regime from last year after all."

"And how can the tennis team improve if they're…in the hospital, for instance?" said Kenneth, a suspicious tone in his voice.

Shiki, Momoshiro and Kaidoh immediately put together what he meant by then, and Shiki narrowed his eyes in anger. "You wouldn't…" he hissed in anger.

Kaidoh was hissing like an angry snake as he increased his strength to hold Momoshiro back from actually attacking Kenneth. "Are you threatening us?" he demanded.

"Really depends on what you meant by 'threaten'," said Kenneth, waving one hand unconcernedly about. "Whether your team can go to the Nationals or not really depends on you, 'buchou'." Kenneth smirked before walking off.

Shiki gritted his teeth in fury as he glared at Kenneth's departing back, and if looks could kill, Kenneth will be six feet under.

None of the three said anything for a long time until Kaidoh broke the silence by hissing a long hiss, sounding like a deflating balloon. "Shinderui. I think we have a problem," he said, before the snake-like player hissed again. "A _serious_ one."

For once, Momoshiro didn't argue, but nodded sombrely.

"I hate to agree with Mamushi, but for once, he's right," said the spiky-haired power player.

Shiki sighed. "Don't I know that?" he muttered, trying to ease his headache by pinching the bridge of his nose before groaning a little inwardly. _'My god…just what have I done?!'_

* * *

_A/N: One of the longest chapters that I've done for some time now, and I hope that this explains Kenneth's sudden disappearance from the story. Don't worry, Rikkaidai and Seigaku __**will**__ cross paths sooner or later, though not so soon. As for the reason why Kirihara lost control over his 'devil side' with Ryou during the tennis tryouts, you'll find out soon._

_Anyway, I hope that you like this chapter, and please read and review!_


	37. Revelations

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Thirty Seven: Revelations**

_Tennis Courts  
__Rikkaidai Fuzoku_

"Ryou, your balance is off!" Rika said as she watched the team training by having a kind of tennis rally against each other. As usual, the regulars were all gathered in Court A with the non-regulars taking the remaining courts and the freshmen were practicing racquet swings in a corner.

"Hai…" Ryou drawled before adjusting his balance and footwork as he returned the ball that Shuu had hit across to him.

The twins were taking a short break from their rally, being seated on the bench as they took a drink from their bottles of water, quenching their thirst, with a towel around their neck each as they watched their teammates practicing until a rather muffled ringtone from someone's cellphone sounded.

"_Long lost words whisper slowly to me…still can't find what keeps me here…"_

Hikari blinked as he looked left and right, trying to find the source of the ringtone until he tracked it to a dark navy blue satchel with white edges to it, and instantly recognised the bag immediately. Hikari then turned towards the direction of their vice-captain and raised his voice until it's loud enough to carry across the courts.

"Fukubuchou! Your cellphone's ringing!"

Hikaru winced as he was right next to his twin, and went temporarily deaf in his right ear for some time. "Gee, why don't you shout a little louder, Hikari? Better yet, why don't you stand atop the rooftop and shout it out loud? I don't think that the entire school heard you yet," said Hikaru sarcastically as Rika made her way over to them before fumbling about in her bag and taking out her cellphone with a keychain of a Himalayan cat with a small golden bell with a mini tennis racquet and tennis ball hanging from it before answering the call.

"Moshi moshi?"

There was light laughter on the other end of the line, and Rika smiled to herself as she immediately recognised the voice as her boyfriend. And Rika wasn't sure if it's her imagination or not as their relationship had been a little strained lately. Or maybe that it's just her imagination.

"Seiichi? What's wrong?"

"_I'm sorry. But I'll be late for our date later."_

Rika blinked. "Why?"

Beside her, the twins looked mighty interested in her phone call until Rika glared at them with a look that said that if they don't hurry up and get their butts out on the courts, she'll be doubling all their weights before the twins hastily hurried out to a free court.

"_I kind of forgot that I have my monthly check-up at the hospital later," _said Yukimura sheepishly. _"It might take a while, so I'm going to go now."_

Rika frowned a little. "Why don't I meet you at the hospital then?" she asked. "That way, you don't have to return to Kanagawa again. Besides, I heard that there's a pretty good sushi restaurant in the Tokyo district."

Yukimura laughed. _"Sounds good to me. Okay." Click._

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Morita Hospital  
__Tokyo_

The hospital was deadly silent, and the strong smell of medicines and whatnot filled Rika's nostrils as she entered Morita Hospital. From what she's heard, Yukimura was hospitalised in this very hospital during his sophomore year of middle school before she had came to Japan for Guillain-Barre Syndrome, and had undergone a successful operation at the end of his sophomore year in Rikkaidai, though he was required to return to the hospital every two months or so for a check-up to ensure that his illness doesn't act up again.

"I'm sorry. Which room is Yukimura Seiichi in?" Rika asked the receptionist of the hospital before the nurse flipped through the file in front of her and informed Rika of the room number, before the girl thanked her and went on her way.

"Are you sure that you're really okay?"

"For the last time, Akira, yes! I'm fine!"

Rika blinked as a pair of arguing voices reached her ears, and she tracked it down to a hospital room with the door left half-opened only to see none other than Fudomine's Ibu Shinji lying in a hospital bed with his left arm in a sling, and Kamio and Ann standing by his bedside.

Rika blinked before announcing her presence by knocking on the opened door, and all three in the hospital room turned towards the Rikkaidai vice-captain, and their eyes widened considerably in surprise as they saw her.

"Ibu-san? Kamio-san? And Ann?" muttered Rika. "What are all of you doing here?"

Ann blinked as she saw her friend. "Rika?" she muttered. "What are _you _doing here?"

"Seiichi is here for his usual check-up, and I'm here to accompany him," said Rika, entering the room before her sharp eyes took in the sight of Ibu's current state, and noticed the hospitalisation date of one Ibu Shinji on the medical chart next to him which is the date of the districts tournament at Tokyo.

Rika frowned a little before turning towards Ann. "Ann, what happened?" she stated more than asked. "Something has happened, isn't it?"

Kamio and Ann exchanged nervous glances whilst Ibu was looking pointedly away from Rika by looking out of the window. Ann finally turned back towards Rika, a nervous look in her eyes, shifting on one foot to another before the Fudomine girl lapsed into an explanation about the reason behind Ibu's stay in the hospital in the first place.

"That can't be!" said Rika harshly. "That's impossible! Seigaku wouldn't do something like that! And I know for sure that Shiki would condemn something like that!"

"We know," said Kamio, exchanging glances with Ibu before turning back towards Rika. "Kaidoh, Momoshiro and Shinderui came to apologise yesterday. Kaidoh is the vice-captain of Seigaku's tennis team, as you know, and Shinderui is the captain." Rika nodded. "They have their own problems with that guy as well. Exactly what though, neither one of the three would tell us." Kamio sighed. "But anyone with eyes could tell that they're really worried."

"By the way, Rika," said Ann, turning towards her friend. "If Rikkaidai ever faced Seigaku again in the Kantou tournament which will probably happen if Seigaku kept winning all their matches, be careful. That guy…Ibu-kun's opponent…he's nearly as dangerous as Kirihara-san in the past…or even more so…if it's even possible…" Ann trailed off.

Rika frowned slightly, the gears in her head turning a hundred miles per minute. Shuu was saying something two days ago about gathering some data and maybe the videotapes of the matches between Seigaku and Fudomine at the districts tournament if he could. Most of the team only heard that Fudomine had lost to Seigaku at the finals, not _how _they had lost.

"That guy," said Rika suddenly. "What's his name? The Seigaku player in singles two."

"I think…it's Kenneth," said Ann slowly, furrowing her brow in concentration, and Kamio nodded. "Kenneth Smith. A sophomore transfer student from America."

Rika froze.

Oh shit.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Echizen Residence  
__Kanagawa_

The sounds of the front door opening and closing caught Meino Nanako's attention, and she looked up from where she's feeding her cousin's precious cat, Karupin.

"Welcome back, Rika—"

Nanako blinked as she saw her cousin disappear up the stairs without so much as a single word, and turned towards Ryoga who was sitting at the kitchen table drinking a carton of milk who looked just as confused as Nanako.

"What's up with her?" Ryoga wondered.

"Meow."

**

* * *

**Kevin was lying on his bed, a pair of earphones over his ears as he read a manga whilst lying on his bed when there was a knock on the door, and it opened to reveal Rika entering his room wearing such a grim look on her face that it seemed as if her cat had just died which isn't possible as Kevin himself had just seen Karupin moments earlier in the kitchen when the Himalayan cat was begging Nanako for a snack.

Kevin blinked slowly in confusion before he sat up on his bed, pulling his earphones down from his ears. "Is there something wrong, Rika?" he asked.

Rika sighed before she shut Kevin's room door behind her and looked at the blonde straight in the eye. "I need to talk with you," she stated. "Privately."

**

* * *

**Five minutes later, Kevin turned pale, and looked as if he was about to faint and wishing that he had died during Shuu's insane training that day instead of facing this.

Kevin's reaction to the news about his older twin who hasn't been in Kevin's life ever since his father was put behind bars when he was still in grade school wasn't too surprising. For lack of a better word, Kenneth Smith was almost like a carbon copy of their father.

Looks, behaviour, attitude, tennis style, everything.

Even the way in which how he actually _hurts _people in tennis.

Seriously speaking, Ibu Shinji of Fudomine had already gotten off lightly. If Shinderui Shiki hadn't stopped Kenneth back then, and if Ibu wasn't as good at tennis like he was, he would probably be suffering more than injured muscle ligaments in both his legs and an injured arm.

"You can't be serious." Kevin nearly moaned. "He just _can't_ be back!"

"Believe it or not, he's back in Japan, and of all the schools in Japan, he _just_ has to be in Seigaku!" snapped Rika before sighing. "And to top it all off, he's a regular in the tennis team. I really don't know what Shiki is smoking to keep such a dangerous guy on his team. Your father…isn't exactly right in the head as it is, and Kenneth should be aware of this as well."

Kevin looked at his friend seriously. "There's also a possibility that Shiki and Kaidoh-san weren't even aware about this side of Kenneth until he played in that singles two match against Fudomine's Ibu-san," he said matter-of-factly. "You know that that twin of mine almost seemed as if he was suffering from slight MPD (multi-personality disorder) or something."

Rika sighed. "I'll stick to my opinion of him being mentally unstable or that he simply just hates to lose and will resort to anything just to win," she said. "Kenneth put up a hell of a fight back in America when we were the captains of the tennis team in St. Andrew's. I mean, we both knew him personally, and because we knew him, we were also well aware of his tendency to injure people in a match as well, and that's why I refused to let him on the team. But if Seigaku kept winning all their matches like this, without a doubt, we'll face them again sooner or later."

Kevin didn't say anything.

Rika sighed. "What are you going to do?" she asked.

Kevin sighed, dropping his head into his hands.

"…I don't know."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_The Next Day  
__Seishun Gakuen  
__Tokyo_

"See you tomorrow!"

"Good work today!"

"See you tomorrow, Shinderui!"

Shinderui Shiki had a very long day.

Fortunately for him, there was no tennis training scheduled for the Seigaku team that day, much to his relief, as he was starting to dread seeing a certain transfer student of Seigaku every team training…along with Kaidoh and Momoshiro.

Training had been pretty tense for the team ever since the end of the districts tournament, and the regulars all made sure to keep far _far _away from one Kenneth Smith, not that Shiki can blame them. He knew that he can't kick Kenneth off the team, and after some discussion with Kaidoh and Momoshiro, all three have came to a decision that unless they have no other choice, they will _not_ put Kenneth in a match even if it means that they might risk losing the entire tournament.

They'll rather have Seigaku losing the match then losing their pride, or worse, have players from other schools think that Seigaku is so weak that they have to resort to injure their opponents in order to win.

Shiki sighed as he walked out of the school, planning to head to the nearby tennis facility to practice against some ball machines when a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"…Shiki."

Shiki blinked and turned only to see Rikkaidai Fuzoku's vice-captain, Echizen Rika in her school uniform leaning against the wall of Seigaku before the girl straightened herself up, a serious look on her face, and something tells Shiki that she's here on fairly important business.

"I need a word," she stated. "Now."

Shiki frowned but nodded. "Okay."

**

* * *

**_Cross Cafe  
__Tokyo_

"Here is your coffee," said the waitress as she placed cups of coffee before Shiki and Rika both before retreating to give the two some privacy.

Rika and Yukimura always frequented Cross Cafe whenever they came to the Tokyo district, and right now, Shiki and Rika were seated in one of the cubicle seats next to the window so that they can have some privacy.

"I ran into Ibu-san and Kamio-san at the hospital yesterday," said Rika, going straight to the point, and Shiki froze in the midst of pouring sugar into his coffee. "They told me what had happened during the singles two match."

"Oh."

Rika glanced at her friend only to see him looking extremely dejected and slumped over in his seat. If she didn't know any better, she'll think that Shiki looks almost like an old man. Rika sighed. "You need to know some things regarding this player of yours."

Shiki looked at Rika. "What?"

"That player of yours…he's Kevin's twin brother."

Shiki nearly choked on his coffee. _"Whaaat?!"_

"Kenneth used to be a little unstable in the mind," said Rika hesitantly. "He has some serious anger management issues back then." She sighed. "My mother thinks that it might be due to their parents' divorce." Seeing Shiki's enquiring look, Rika proceeded to explain. "Kevin and Kenneth's parents divorced when they were pretty young, when they were still in grade school. Kevin's mother was awarded custody of Kevin whilst his brother went to their father. However, Kevin's mother died not long after that, and George Smith, Kevin's father, was then sentenced to life imprisonment for possession of illegal firearms and severe case of child abuse, with the victim being Kevin himself. That was the reason why my family took Kevin in after his father was put behind bars, not just because the prosecutor in charge of the case back then is my mother. Both Kevin and myself are childhood friends and playmates, and my mother knew Kevin's mother pretty well. I have no idea what happened to Kenneth after George Smith was jailed, but a few years ago, Kenneth suddenly showed up in St. Andrew's where I was the captain of the tennis team back then, with Kevin being the vice-captain. But I knew about Kenneth's violent tendencies, especially since we used to be in the same grade school before his parents' divorce, and I refused to allow him in the team. I didn't hear anything about him after that."

Shiki looked ready to pass out by this point in time.

"Then now…"

Rika nodded with a sigh. "I think that the reason he even joined the tennis team of Seigaku's in the first place is because he wanted to meet Kevin in the tennis courts one day," she said. "It's simply pure bad luck that he chose your school. We were surprised as well when we heard that Kenneth is back in Japan. Well, at least, that's what I think. And then again, if the only parent who had ever paid you a single ounce of attention when you were a child is currently behind bars, and the person responsible for it is your own brother, what will _you _do?"

Shiki had no answer to that.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Girls' Tennis Courts  
__Rikkaidai Fuzoku_

"Your pace is dropping! Step on it!" Ishigawa Saya, the tennis club captain of the girls' tennis team in Rikkaidai Fuzoku shouted as she clapped her hands before there was a chorus of 'hai' and the tennis players quickened their paces.

There was a slight creak of the gates opening, and Saya turned to see the vice-captain of the boys' tennis team walking in, dressed in her tennis jersey with a tennis racquet tucked beneath her arm.

"Ishigawa-sempai." Rika greeted as she walked up to the senior girl.

"Rika? I thought that it's Kirihara who'll be assisting us after we asked for help from the boys' tennis team to improve the skills of our team," mused Saya, and Rika laughed.

"Well, he initially wanted to, but the rest of the team decided on their own that maybe it's for the best if _I _go instead. If Kirihara come, the girls' tennis team can forget about training today."

Ishigawa Saya laughed. "That's true."

"Hmm? That girl…" Rika trailed off as she looked in the direction where the freshmen girls were practicing their racquet swings, and Saya looked in the direction where Rika is looking at…or more specifically, just _who _she's looking at.

"Hmm? Oh. Yukimura Seika?" Saya stated more than asked, and Rika nodded. "That girl is pretty good for a freshman. If she keeps up the good work, she might just be able to make it in as a regular next year." Saya grinned. "Say, Rika. Have you considered coming over to the girls' tennis team yet?"

Rika nearly groaned. Ever since she had made it in as a regular in the boys' team in Rikkaidai last year, the captain of the girls' tennis team had been hounding her to come over to the girls' tennis team instead. It might be a bit of a standing joke between them now, but it still gets pretty annoying after a while.

"No," said Rika curtly, yet politely. "I have not, and never will, and will probably never even consider going over to the girls' tennis team."

Saya's face fell. "That's a disappointment."

Rika snorted in amusement.

**

* * *

**_Two Hours Later  
__Boys' Tennis Courts  
__Rikkaidai Fuzoku_

"Finally!" Rika sighed two hours later as she made her way back to the boys' side of the tennis courts after managing to escape the demon that they call a captain that they have in the girls' tennis team. "I never thought that I'll get away. And…" Rika nearly groaned. "Ishigawa-sempai just increased the members of my much unwanted fanclub."

"Welcome back, Rika," said Shuu calmly as Rika entered the tennis courts to see Shuu standing by the side, writing notes in that notebook of his that he always carried about with him all the time. "Training's going pretty well."

"Haruki! T-Time out! Please!"

Blinking, Rika turned only to see Hikaru and Haruki practicing on one of the free courts in Court A, and there were hundreds of tennis balls scattered on both sides of the courts. Hikaru who was Haruki's practice partner that day looked as if he had just jumped straight into a swimming pool, and Haruki was covered with a sheet of sweat.

Rika blinked. "What's going on over there?" she wondered.

Shuu sighed. "Haruki said something about wanting to practice a new move of his, and he asked Hikaru to be his training partner," he said as Takahiro and Kevin took a break from their rally and walked towards the bench beside Shuu before taking a drink from their water dispensers.

Rika frowned before she scanned her eyes all over the court before realising that they're missing one person in the regulars before turning towards Shuu. "Shuu, where's Kirihara?"

Takahiro was the one who answered. "He said something about going to a tennis shop to restring his racquets as the strings of his racquets snapped in the middle of practice earlier," he said. He then looked at his watch. "But he's been gone too long…"

Rika frowned. "Hmm… Takahiro, tell me. Where did Kirihara say that he'll go to restring his racquets?"

Takahiro blinked. "Eh? Erm…I think to a tennis shop somewhere in the Tokyo district," he said slowly.

Rika sighed. "I think I know where he is," she muttered. "I'll go and get him, or he'll never come back until the end of practice. Shuu, take charge of the training for me whilst I'm gone."

Shuu blinked rapidly. "Okay…" he muttered as he watched Rika walked out of the courts before picking up his phone and dialling a number. Three rings later, it was picked up. "Buchou? The fukubuchou's gone to get you."

**

* * *

**_Thirty Minutes Later  
__Seishun Gakuen  
__Tokyo_

Rika nearly groaned as she saw the unmistakable figure of one Kirihara Akaya standing at the entrance of the tennis courts of Seigaku before marching up to him. She just _knew _that he'll be here.

Kirihara blinked as he saw his vice-captain walking up to him. "R-Rika? What are you doing here?" He was cut off in mid-sentence as his vice-captain caught hold of his ear and pulled him out of the courts. "Iteteteteee! What are you doing?"

"I _knew_ that you'll be here!" said Rika in exasperation. "Did you fell asleep on the bus again?"

Momoshiro Takeshi sweat dropped. "…so that's why he's here."

Rika then happened to look up just then and saw the much sorry sight of more than half of Seigaku's regulars and non-regulars lolling about the courts, all looking half-dead, and tennis balls were scattered all over the courts. Shinderui Shiki and Kaidoh Kaoru – the captain and vice-captain of the team – along with one Kenneth Smith weren't around right now, thank kami, and Rika twitched, turning slowly towards Kirihara who gulped and looking as if he was wishing that he was dead right now.

"Kirihara. Did you do this?" asked Rika in a dangerous voice, and the temperature of the surroundings dropped several degrees as Rika lived up to her name of 'Ice Princess'.

Kirihara gulped. "…er…"

Rika sighed and released her hold on Kirihara's ear. "I'm giving you a ten minute head-start before I come after you," she stated, and Kirihara took that chance to run as fast as he could.

Not even ten minutes later, all Seigaku regulars who were in the tennis courts can't help wincing at the pained and terrified screams of a certain curly haired captain of Rikkaidai as he begged for mercy from a certain Ice Princess in Rikkaidai Fuzoku.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Three Days Later  
__Kanagawa Tournament_

Kirihara was still whimpering as he caught the glare of Rika's head on, and the twins were fairly amused, snickering every now and then as they caught sight of their captain taking refugee behind Kevin.

Haruki sighed and shook his head. "Buchou, you sure fucked up big time," he stated, and Kevin rolled his eyes.

"You made your bed, you lie in it, Kirihara," said the blonde matter-of-factly.

It was the start of the finals of the Kanagawa tournament in which the qualifying four schools would be able to proceed to the Kantou tournament, and the entire Rikkaidai team were assembled at the tennis park where the Kanagawa tournament was being held.

As the seeded school, Rikkaidai only needs to beat four schools in order to proceed to the Kantou tournament. Rika and Kevin were all quite jumpy ever since the end of the district tournament months ago, and no one even knew why.

Even Haruki, who can be said to be their closest friend, had no idea why. Sora knew why especially since his cousin had told him the reason why via a phone call a few weeks ago, but the brunette knew enough to keep quiet about this piece of information, and only told Riku about it as his cousin had told him that Rika will tell the rest of the team herself once the time is right, and besides, Kevin had kept her in his confidence, and she will not betray that trust.

Also, according to Shuu's information about Rikkaidai's rival teams in the tournament, the first three schools that Rikkaidai will be facing aren't their match, but as for the last school, not even Shuu had enough information on them as this is the first time that Iesagawa Chuu had managed to get into the Kanagawa tournament.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Rikkaidai Fuzoku versus Iesagawa Chuu  
__Finals Match_

"Game and match! Game won by Fuuma-Fuuma pair! Six games to love!"

Kirihara nodded to the twins as they made their way back to their bench, both twins beaming with the thrill of a match, and having won their game. Their opponents are good, but the Fuuma twins made up one of Rikkaidai's best doubles combination, and even Kevin and Rika have some problems playing against them as a doubles combination.

Like Rikkaidai Fuzoku and Fudomine Chuu, Iesagawa Chuu doesn't have a coach, but they have a captain-coach instead, and other than the captain and vice-captain as well as two of the regulars, the rest of the players are sophomores. Rika can't help liking the captain as the captain reminds her of Yukimura and Tachibana of Fudomine a lot, with his ever gentle smile and all-knowing eyes.

"They're good…Rikkaidai, that is," said some random player from Iesagawa, his eyes wide as their doubles two players returned to the courts. "Even Chisen and Shinen lost against them with 6-0."

"Well, next is Michio and Ryuuin," said the captain matter-of-factly. "The doubles two players of Rikkaidai Fuzoku made up one of Rikkaidai's best doubles combinations. I'm not that surprised that Chisen and Shinen lost. But for this doubles one match…it could go either way as this doubles pairing hasn't been seen in the Kanagawa tournament yet."

"_We will now start the match of doubles one. Iesagawa Chuu's Kiraki Michio and Kisaraki Ryuuin versus Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Takuga Shuu and Takeda Ryou! All players, please enter the courts."_

"We have to play all five matches for the finals of the Kanagawa tournament, right?" Haruki said in a low voice to Kevin who nodded.

"Yeah. Why?"

"Nothing. Just asking," said Haruki, turning his attention back towards the match.

The match was pretty exciting as the doubles standard of both teams were about the same, and their understanding of their partners as well as their partners' moves were impressive as well. Finally, when the score reaches 4-4 for both sides, Shuu soon showed his displeasure, judging by the scowl on his face.

"Uh oh. The opposing team is in big trouble now," said Takahiro, raising a brow at noticing the scowl on Shuu's face. "Shuu is going to get serious soon."

"Ryou, cover my back. And don't come to the front, no matter what," said Shuu, and Ryou raised an eyebrow, but nodded before heading to the service line on their side of the court as it's Rikkaidai's turn to serve. The cheering of Iesagawa Chuu's cheerleading squad was nearly deafening them, and it was giving Shuu a headache. Shuu scowled as he turned back towards his opponent, holding his racquet with both hands. "I'll shut them up."

Ryou raised an eyebrow, but didn't say a word before he threw the ball up into the air before serving. The ball entered their opponent's court before Michio returned the ball to Rikkaidai's side of the court, and Shuu returned the ball with a semi-fast return towards Michio, ignoring Ryuuin who was closer to the net then Michio who was standing near the baseline, and the latter was forced to move forwards in order to retrieve the ball.

For the next couple of minutes, it became a kind of tennis rally between Kiraki Michio of Iesagawa Chuu and Takuga Shuu of Rikkaidai Fuzoku. The remaining two doubles partners of the individual teams raised an eyebrow at this odd behaviour of their doubles partners, but didn't say a word. In fact, both of them privately thought that if they tried to interfere, it would end very badly…for them.

Iesagawa's vice-captain raised an eyebrow at this. "What's going on? That Takuga…he's aiming for Kiraki all the time," he said. "Does he think that Kiraki is the easier of the two to handle?"

"No," said the captain with a frown. "There's something more. That Takuga guy…" He narrowed his eyes dangerously. "He's got a plan up his sleeve…"

**

* * *

**_Clang._

"Oi, Michio! Are you alright?!"

Half of Iesagawa's regulars were shouting to their frightened regular who was on his hands and knees on the courts, staring at Shuu with a weird expression on his face like he could not believe his eyes. Shuu was staring at Michio with a cool expression on his face, tapping the frame of his racquet against his shoulder.

The captain of Iesagawa Chuu had his eyes wide opened with shock and bewilderment, along with disbelief as he stared at Shuu like he could not believe his eyes. "That is…" he muttered. He narrowed his eyes at Shuu. "It can't be…!"

**

* * *

**Over at Rikkaidai's side, half of the regulars were in shock.

"That is…!" Kevin yelped, staring at Shuu with bewilderment in his eyes. "It can't be…!"

Takahiro was staring at Shuu with wide eyes, disbelief written all over his face.

Kirihara's face was pale, staring at Shuu with a look that looks as if a miracle had just handed itself to him. Rika's face turned pale, and she narrowed her eyes at Shuu, finally understanding the mystery that is Takuga Shuu, and just why Kirihara had actually lost control that one time back during the tryouts.

It all makes sense now…

"I see."

The twins blinked and turned towards their vice-captain, along with every other player in the Rikkaidai team. And unknown to them, the Iesagawa team was listening in as well. "Fukubuchou?"

"It all makes sense now," said Rika, not taking her eyes off Shuu who was on the courts. She sighed. "Shuu…he's like me and Seiichi. He's an ESP player."

Takahiro nearly gaped at Rika. "ESP? You don't mean ESP as in…" He trailed off.

"Extra Sensory Perception?" Rika finished for him, glancing at Takahiro. "Yes, I do." She turned her attention back towards Shuu and Ryou's match who had just clinched one game, making the score 5-4 in their favour. "Only those with unusually strong senses have that ability. ESP players can take away a person's five senses or even force a person's worst fears to the surface…among many other abilities. The possibilities are endless. I didn't think that I'll find another one other than myself and Seiichi. I think Niou-sempai from last year has some form of ESP abilities as well. ESP players are pretty rare. There is probably only one in a billion. But if he is indeed an ESP player, it explains many things though." She glanced at Kirihara before turning back towards the match. "Like during the selection matches months ago…exactly why Devil Kirihara was forced out back then."

"I got it," said Kevin, snapping his fingers, understanding just what Rika was trying to say. "You're saying that Shuu's ESP ability is unlike yours and Yukimura's. You and Yukimura can take away a person's five senses, and you have some form of imitation ability as well. Niou-sempai from last year had some form of ESP abilities as well. But in Shuu's case, his ESP ability is to bring a person's worst fears to life."

Rika nodded. "Devil Kirihara is Kirihara's worst fear," she explained. "He spent _months _to succeed sealing it away with me just after the Kantou tournament. If Seiichi's and my ability is to seal a person's five senses away, Shuu's ESP ability is to bring a person's worst fears to the surface." She smirked. "What a frightening ability. Little wonder that he's never brought it out before. An ability like that…if used in the wrong way, it might just cause his opponent to swear off tennis for eternity."

"Game and match! Game won by Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Takuga-Takeda pair! Six games to four!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Singles three ended quickly as well, with a score of 6-1, with Rikkaidai's player being Yukimura Haruki. Singles two was Takahiro, and he ended the match quickly as well with a score of 6-1 as well. And finally, it soon came time for the singles one match…

All mutterings on the courts died down as Rika entered the courts, and it's not truly surprising as the finals of last year's National tournament was the talk of the entire middle school tennis circuit for _months, _and Echizen Rika and Shinderui Shiki were both said to be the best players of Japan's middle school tennis circuit.

Rika's opponent in singles one was Iesagawa Chuu's captain, Seikifu Raiha.

Raiha gave Rika a friendly smile as they exchanged the usual handshake before a match. "It's nice to meet you," he said. "I've always wanted to meet you in a match. Let's do our best."

Rika nodded before the two headed to their individual receiving and serving positions on the court. Rikkaidai had first service, and Rika glanced at her opponent on the opposite court before throwing the ball up into the air and served.

**

* * *

**"Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Echizen! Four games to love!"

The entire court was silent.

Everyone was shocked at this turnabout.

Iesagawa knew of Rika's reputation, but still, they believed that their captain will still be able to clinch at least three games against Rika, but this… This is a total _slaughter._ Even with their captain using the Muga no Kyouchi, he's still helpless against Rika who hasn't even opened a _single_ door!

"As you said, two hits," said Rika calmly, pointing her racquet at the panting Raiha whose Muga no Kyouchi's aura was starting to diminish a little.

Raiha blinked. "Huh?"

"If you had been watching the singles one match of the finals of last year's National tournament, you would know this," said Rika simply. "As you know, Muga no Kyouchi has three doors, and you being able to open two is already a tremendous accomplishment on your part. But…I…have unlocked them _all."_

The eyes of all Iesagawa's regulars widened in horror as an aura surrounded Rika before exploding outwards, and everyone present have to shield their eyes from the light onslaught. Raiha nearly paled as he recognised the aura immediately.

"It can't be…!" he muttered before his eyes nearly popped out of it's sockets as he saw Rika switch her racquet to her left hand. "You're…!"

Over at Rikkaidai's side, Kirihara was grinning, and the rest of the regulars were too. Iesagawa Chuu's vice-captain was gaping. He had seriously underestimated Rika just because she's a girl, and now, he's paying for it. "The…fukubuchou of Rikkaidai Fuzoku…she's a left-hander?!"

"Your captain should feel honoured." Fuuma Hikaru called out to the Iesagawa side. He grinned. "Very few people can make the fukubuchou get serious. Last year's regulars are just among the few…along with Seigaku's current captain, Shinderui Shiki."

"Well, seriously, Rika _is _stronger than me," said Kirihara reasonably. "She's the strongest player in Rikkaidai. She's only the vice-captain this year because she's a sophomore, and because she's a girl."

Kevin grinned as he recognised the serving stance that Rika is taking. He knew what the serve that Rika is going to use now. "This is going to be good," he said.

Back on the courts, Rika looked calmly at Raiha, the ball in her right hand. "Just a word of warning, Sekifu-san," she said. "This serve…" She served the ball. "…not even _I _knew the direction in which it's going to go."

Raiha's eyes widened.

"Game and match! Game won by Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Echizen! Six games to love!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

With the end of the finals and the closing ceremony for the Kanagawa tournament with the authorities announcing the names of the four schools in the Kanagawa district that will be going to the Kantou tournament – Rikkaidai Fuzoku, Iesagawa Chuu, Jyousei Shounan and Chirika Chuu – the tennis teams were all packing to leave.

Tanaka Takahiro who was trailing behind his teammates winced a little as a sharp stab of pain went through his ankle once more, and he frowned as he looked down upon his right ankle, testing his foot gingerly on the ground.

'_Again?'_

Rika happened to look over her shoulder just then and raised an eyebrow as she noticed Takahiro's weirder-than-usual behaviour. "Takahiro? What's wrong?"

Takahiro snapped his head up to meet with the concerned eyes of his vice-captain and shook his head quickly before tagging along after his team, walking faster than necessary.

"…nothing."


	38. Prelude of Ruin

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis and any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Thirty Eight: Prelude of Ruin**

_When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end  
__The goddess descends from the sky  
__Wings of light and dark spread afar  
__She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting  
__- Loveless, Prologue_

**

* * *

**_Rikkaidai High School  
__Kanagawa_

Point.

"Game and match! Game won by Yukimura! Six games to four!"

"Nice game, 'Mura!" said Marui with a grin as he held out a towel to Yukimura as the blue haired teen walked towards him, having just finished a mock match with the vice-captain of the tennis team of Rikkaidai High.

"Is there something wrong, Yukimura?" asked Yanagi, turning towards Yukimura, and the blue haired teen wondered for the hundredth time how Yanagi can see things with his eyes closed ninety percent of the time. "You seemed to be quite distracted during your match with Himura-fukubuchou."

Sanada who had just finished a match with Yanagi moments prior listened with interest as Yukimura took a seat next to Yanagi and took a gulp of water from his water dispenser. The blue haired teen wiped the sweat on his forehead off with the towel hanging around his neck before speaking.

"It's Rika," he said, turning to look at his teammates and friends. "I'm not sure if it's my imagination or not, but things have been rather…strained between us lately."

Marui raised an eyebrow. "Strange," he said, popping a bubblegum. "Rika was saying something like that last week when I ran into her at the mall." _Pop._

Yanagi 'hmmed' a little before turning towards Yukimura. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked. "What is the problem? I thought that things between you both have been pretty good so far."

Yukimura sighed a little, pulling the towel hanging from his neck. "I'm not really sure myself," he said hesitantly. "It's just…sometimes, whenever we went out on dates and all that, it almost seems…kind of repetitive, if you catch my drift. And there are times when we have to cancel our dates and all that because of her training."

"Yukimura, you know that she's the vice-captain now, and she has her responsibilities," said Yanagi reasonably. "You were the captain once. You know this better than anyone else. Rika and Akaya both have a responsibility to make sure that Rikkaidai keeps their winning streak, and to ensure that they will emerge as the champion of the Nationals once more. Rikkaidai has their pride and reputation as champions to keep."

"I'm fully aware of that," said Yukimura softly. "It's just…sometimes, whenever the conversation steered towards the new regulars of the team, Rika always brought in that Tanaka kid who is probably the only one at present whose tennis ability and skill is comparable with Rika, Haruki, Kevin and Akaya themselves. She kept talking about him."

Sanada, Marui and Yanagi exchanged amused glances. So Yukimura was _jealous?_ That's a first. The Child of God had finally met his match!

Marui was rather amused as well. Rika was his childhood friend, and he knew Yukimura well, having been in the tennis team of Rikkaidai Fuzoku with the blue haired teen ever since they were freshmen in middle school, and he knew that very few things can get him worked up. He had met Rika a week ago at the mall by chance, and following that, both had a tennis match at the nearby street tennis courts, and Rika had mentioned about Yukimura's odd behaviour of late in passing.

The girl was puzzled and confused over Yukimura's standoffish behaviour lately, and had said that Yukimura was kind of cold to her of late. And Marui is ready to bet his entire bubblegum collection that neither Rika nor Yukimura even knew just what is wrong with their relationship.

"'Mura," said Marui, and Sanada, Yukimura and Yanagi turned towards the redhead. "The first round of the Kantou tournament for the middle school section will start in a week. Rika and Akaya just went for the combination drawings the day before, and they've drawn Hyotei as their opponent. We don't have a match on that day. We can go and watch their match."

Yukimura sighed and nodded.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Rikkaidai Fuzoku versus Hyotei Gakuen  
__Kantou Regional Tournament_

The day of the match between Kanagawa's Rikkaidai Fuzoku versus Tokyo's Hyotei Gakuen shone bright and clear.

For once, all the players of Rikkaidai's tennis team was on time, and that's only because Rika went to Kirihara's house to literally drag the captain out of his warm bed just so that he can make it in time for the match, much to his elder brother and mother's amusement.

Right now, the regulars of Rikkaidai Fuzoku were all gathered in the bleachers, with the cheerleaders for both schools cheering themselves hoarse, and the current captain of Hyotei Gakuen – Hiyoshi Wakashi – was having a last minute discussion with his team and the coach, Sakaki Taro. Riku and Sora were also at the match, along with Seika and Yurika, and all four were seated in the bleachers as well.

Rika currently had the match line-ups form in her hand, and she was reading it out to her players, looking at them every now and then. "Alright, listen up, as I'm only going to say this once," she said. "Hyotei is a relatively strong school. Rikkaidai had a practice match against them once last year, and we've never really played against them in an actual tournament before, and this year, save for their captain and Ohtori Choutarou, all the regulars are new players. But still, we can't underestimate them."

The rest of the team nodded. Kirihara took up the mantle next.

"Hyotei is a National level team as well," he said. "They're actually good enough to actually make it to the qualifying round of the National tournament last year, but they're unlucky enough to wind up facing Seigaku, and thus, dropped out of the running. Don't underestimate them."

"With that, I shall now announce the match line-ups," said Rika, and the team paid close attention. "Doubles two, Haruki and Takahiro. I'm counting on you for the first match." Haruki and Takahiro didn't show their surprise at being placed in doubles for the match, and both nodded. "Doubles one, Hikari and Hikaru." The twins nodded, grinning identical grins. "Singles three…I'll be in that spot this time, since if Shuu's data is accurate, I should be the only one in the team at present who can handle that guy's serve." Puzzled looks appeared on the faces of everyone in the team save for Kevin, Kirihara and Shuu. "Singles two, Kevin." Kevin nodded with a grin. "And finally, singles one, Kirihara. Don't play with your opponent too much."

"You know me," said Kirihara with a grin.

Rika rolled her eyes before slipping off the edge of the divider wall which separated the bleachers from the main courts which she was half-sitting on. "Alright, I'm going to turn the match line-ups form in," she said. "The match won't start for another hour, so go over some strategies, formations, or do some warming up before the match. Kirihara, let's go."

Kirihara nodded before the two walked up the stairs of the bleachers to the authorities' tent to turn in their match line-ups before a call from behind caused the two to turn around.

"Rika! Akaya!"

The two blinked simultaneously, both standing about half a metre away from the authorities' tent, and turned only to see their sempais standing behind them, all dressed in casual clothing, with Niou and Marui grinning and waving at them.

Kirihara and Rika exchanged looks before gesturing for them to wait before turning in their match line-ups form before answering some of the authorities' questions and making a beeline over to their sempais who have been waiting patiently for them.

"Sempai tachi!" said Kirihara excitedly. "Have you come here to watch our matches?"

Niou grinned and ruffled Kirihara's hair, messing it up even more whilst Yagyuu smiled and pushed his glasses up his nose. "Naturally," said the Trickster with a grin. "You don't think that we would miss a chance to watch your matches, would we?"

Yukimura came up to Rika just then, and the raven haired girl raised a curious eyebrow before Yukimura tugged on her hand. "Come on, I want to talk to you."

Rika raised an eyebrow, ignoring the looks that her sempais exchanged between them, but nodded and followed her boyfriend.

After all, there is still another hour to spare before the match begins.

**

* * *

**The moment that the two had reached an area of the arena tennis courts where the Kantou tournament was currently being held where there wasn't anybody around, Yukimura turned around and faced Rika.

Rika raised an eyebrow at Yukimura's stranger than usual behaviour. "Seiichi, what's wrong?" she asked. "You've been acting kind of strange today—"

Rika was cut off in mid-sentence as a pair of lips was suddenly clammed down on her own, and she was suddenly pushed back against the trunk of the sakura tree growing not too far from them. Rika's eyes were wide opened as Yukimura kept assaulting her lips, and she tried desperately to push him away.

His kisses this time isn't like how he usually kisses her. He seemed almost desperate and possessive now, almost like he's possessed by something or the other, and it scared Rika. Finally, the raven haired girl pushed Yukimura away with all her strength, and the blue haired teen seemed almost stunned at what he had just did, and Rika was panting and breathing heavily, almost like she's just ran a marathon, her eyes half-scared and half-angry.

"What are you doing, Seiichi?!" Rika nearly demanded. "This isn't like you at all! What is your problem?!"

"I-I—"

"What's wrong with you?!" asked Rika, puzzled and confused at the same time. "You've been acting kind of weird for some time now. What _is _the matter with you?"

"It's you!" Yukimura blurted out, and Rika blinked in confusion. "You've been spending so much time with that Tanaka guy lately, and all that you would talk about is him! I am well aware that he's both your friend and your classmate, but even still, you didn't even talk about Kevin, Riku, Sora or Haruki as much as you would talk about him!"

Rika blinked. "And this is a problem how?" she asked.

"Can't you, I don't know, stop interacting with him so much or something? I've seen the way that he looks at you, and I don't like it!"

Rika looked surprised for a moment before she turned angry. "I hadn't even _seen _you speak to Takahiro _once!" _she nearly snapped, nearly snarling, and Yukimura was taken aback as this was the first time that he had seen Rika angry, and when I say angry, I _mean _angry. "And secondly, I will not,have not, and will probably never ever abandon a friendship and one of my good friends just because of your childish delusions!"

Yukimura turn from surprised and hurt to angry in a millimetre of a second. "Me, childish?! Have you even _seen_ the way that he looks at you?! He likes you as more than a friend! He's one of the most popular guys in the school, and has almost the entire population of girls in Rikkaidai Fuzoku chasing after him, and yet, until now, he didn't even have a single girlfriend! What does that speak?!"

"What about you and the other sempais then when you're still in Rikkaidai Fuzoku?!" Rika's voice was getting louder, courtesy of her anger, causing several birds to take off in fright from the nearby trees. "Does that mean that they all have someone whom they have their eye on?! And even if Takahiro _did _likes me as more than a friend, so what? Like what I've said before, I will not abandon a friend or give up our friendship just because of your silly delusions!"

Yukimura and Rika glared at each other before the blue haired teen realised then that they're actually both _fighting _and _arguing _over such a stupid thing, and tried to apologise. "I—"

Rika sighed and put up a hand, silencing him, thinking that Yukimura is going to continue arguing with her. "Forget it," she said tiredly. "I'm in no mood to argue with you, and neither do I have the time. Since we're both too angry to listen to reason and to each other, let's wait until we both cool down. Please excuse me, I have a match right now."

And she walked away from Yukimura faster than necessary towards the direction of the courts where Rikkaidai Fuzoku will be having their match against Hyotei Gakuen.

Yukimura blinked as he watched the departing back of his girlfriend before sighing, and nearly groaning before almost slapping his face in frustration. Why the hell did they fight over such a stupid thing in the first place?! He knew that Rika treat Takahiro as a good friend, just like how she treats Riku, Sora, Kevin, Haruki and the rest of her friends. So just why did he get so worked up over it? He knew that most of Rika's friends are boys, seeing as how she's a tennis player. And he knew and accepted that part of her when the both of them had started dating. So just why did he get so worked up over it now?

And no way in _hell _is he jealous!

Not Yukimura Seiichi!

…or is it?

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Yukimura-Tanaka pair! Five games to one!"

The cheers from the bleachers from both the Rikkaidai and Hyotei sides are nearly deafening, and much to Rika's surprise, Atobe and Kabaji were present at the match as well – the two attending Hyotei High which was the neighbour school to Rikkaidai High.

The regulars of Rikkaidai Fuzoku were all giving Rika a wide berth as she had returned from her 'talk' with Yukimura bearing a rather angry look on her face, and all those who preferred living to their twenties decided wisely to leave her alone until she's calmed down.

Hyotei's current regular team was better than they'd expected, and their doubles two combination was good as well, able to clinch three games past Haruki and Takahiro. True, both boys are more of a singles player rather than a doubles, but they're good in doubles play as well.

Right now, it was Rikkaidai's service game, and Haruki was serving.

Haruki took the tennis ball from Takahiro and stared at the yellow ball in his hand, his mind going back to a memory from even before the Kanagawa tournament…

**

* * *

**_Flashback Starts:_

_Smack._

_Smack._

_Smack._

_It was near dusk, and the sun was setting, and still, one can find Yukimura Haruki on the tennis courts of Rikkaidai Fuzoku, with countless tennis balls all scattered all around him, a sheet of sweat coating his skin, a tennis racquet in his hand, and his hair looking quite untidy and messed up, quite unlike the usual tidy and neat teen._

_Haruki panted heavily, hunched over on his hands and knees as he tried to catch back his breath before he picked up one of the tennis balls at his feet before bouncing the ball on the court several times, prepared to try his new move again._

"_Haruki."_

_Haruki blinked before turning to see Rika entering the courts, already changed into her school uniform, her bag slinging across her chest, looking at Haruki curiously._

"_I was just about to lock up the courts," explained Rika. "I didn't know that you're still here. Are you going to continue training?"_

"_Yeah," said Haruki, wiping the sweat off his brow with the sleeve of his tennis jersey. "I'll move to the street tennis courts if you have to head back for something, Rika."_

"_No, don't bother," said Rika. "I don't have anything on today. Do you need a training partner? It isn't much use training on your own."_

_Haruki smiled and nodded. "That'll be of some help."_

_Rika smiled before heading back to the clubroom to change into her tennis jersey. She was back in ten minutes, and by then, the skies were already darkening, and the lights of the tennis courts were turned on._

_It was hours later before Haruki managed to get his new move down, and he remembered the satisfaction that he's gotten when he's finally completed it, but Rika was frowning as she eyed the spot of the court where his shot had entered, and turned back towards Haruki._

"_Haruki," she said in a tone that indicates she's completely serious. "This move of yours__…it's extremely dangerous. I'm sure that you're well aware of this as well." Haruki nodded. "And unless otherwise, I __**forbid**__ you to use this technique."_

_Flashback Ends:_

**

* * *

**"Takahiro."

Takahiro glanced at Haruki as he walked past the Chessmaster to his serving position, Haruki's racquet in his right hand with the tennis ball in his left hand. The teen's face was solemn and serious, and Takahiro raised an eyebrow, this being the first time that he had seen Haruki this way.

"What?"

"Don't come to the front, no matter what, after I've served." Haruki stated, and Takahiro's eyes widened a slight fraction before narrowing.

"Are you sure?" he asked cautiously, and Haruki nodded.

"I'm sure," he said before heading to his service position and bouncing the ball a few times on the court.

"Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Yukimura to serve!"

The ball bounced into Haruki's hand before he stopped and glanced at his two nervous looking opponents on the opposite side of the court with a frown. And unlike himself and Takahiro, the two Hyotei players were sweating heavily, and Haruki threw the ball into the air before serving a normal serve, and the moment that the ball flew through the air to the next court, Haruki and Takahiro immediately changed positions – with Haruki taking the front guard, and Takahiro taking the rear guard.

One of the Hyotei players returned the ball with extra spin to it to Haruki who smirked and shifted his receiving posture so that his right foot was behind his left and he was holding his racquet slightly above his head.

Over at Rikkaidai's bleachers, Rika's eyes widened in horror as she recognised that receiving posture, and she immediately ran to the edge of the bleachers and yelled to Haruki.

"HARUKI! I TOLD YOU NOT TO USE IT!!"

"Yell at me later!" Haruki yelled back as he received the ball, letting the tennis ball roll over his racquet before returning it with full force, and with both his hands grabbing onto his racquet. The ball entered their opponent's court with full force, knocking the tennis racquets of their opponents out of their hands before landing onto the court and crawling to the end of the court without a bounce, similar to the Moon Return of Rika's.

Rika twitched. "YOU'RE RUNNING FIFTY LAPS ONCE WE RETURN TO SCHOOL!!"

Everyone blanched.

"F-Fifty laps?" Shuu said weakly. "The fukubuchou is a slave driver."

"Did you say something, Shuu?" said Rika dangerously as she returned to her seat by Kirihara and Kevin, and Shuu gulped.

"N-Nothing!"

The entire team laughed.

"Game and match! Game won by Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Yukimura-Tanaka pair! Six games to one!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Doubles one went pretty much the same way like doubles two, only that Hikari and Hikaru ended the match in less than four minutes, with both twins hardly using any of their moves, sticking only to the basics, and sending their opponents flying all over the courts, hereby clinching the game at six games to love.

Finally, the match of singles three was Rika versus Hyotei's Ohtori Choutarou who looked extremely nervous as he met Rika on the courts which anyone with eyes and a brain to go with it can see why, judging by the jeers and taunts from the non-regulars of the Hyotei team which affected Ohtori's play greatly.

Finally, when the game reaches two games to love with Rika in the lead, the jeers became worse, with Ohtori looking as if he would rather be anywhere but in the courts, Rika finally snapped. She knew that most people can barely win a game against her, but with Choutarou playing like he was about to lose, she can take it no more.

"Oi! You Hyotei guys are too noisy! If you can talk so much, come down here and play against me then! I'd like to see _you _get even one point past me when Ohtori-san managed to clinch two points past me!"

The silence in the courts was deafening, and Choutarou looked at Rika gratefully, and the raven haired girl also felt eyes that she was a hundred and one percent sure was Yukimura's boring into the back of her head, and she refused to even turn to look at him. Knowing him, he's bound to say something about Ohtori _this_ time.

For a guy who is one of the best tennis players in Japan, he sure is rather insecure when it comes to matters like this! Doesn't he even know her well enough after having gone out with each other for close to a year now?!

"CHOUTAROU!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING??!! ARE YOU PLAYING OR NOT??!!"

Both players on the tennis courts blinked, along with every single person in the courts, before they turned towards the source of the voice only to see one extremely angry Shishido Ryou standing at the top of the bleachers dressed in casual clothes with his blue cap on his head.

"Shishido-san!" Choutarou cried out happily at seeing his sempai and mentor.

Rika's eyes met with her cousin's, and Atobe smirked and mouthed, "You can thank me later."

Shishido frowned at Choutarou. "You are better than this, Choutarou!" he snapped. "Get serious! Unlike the last point is determined in a match, you still have a chance to win! Go!"

Choutarou smiled and nodded. "Hai!" he said before turning back towards Rika, his eyes full of confidence now, and Rika smiled. "Sorry for before, Echizen-san. I'm giving it my all now."

Rika sighed. "About time," she said before taking a tennis ball from out of nowhere. "Here I go!"

And she served.

**

* * *

**"Game and match! Game won by Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Echizen! Six games to love!"

Rika smiled at Choutarou as they shook hands across the net. "It was a good match," she said. "You did better against me than most people. If we ever get the chance, I'll like to play you again."

"That's right, Choutarou," said Shishido, and Choutarou turned towards Shishido who was grinning. "You did well. You'll do even better next time."

Choutarou smiled.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The sun was setting as majority of the Rikkaidai team were packing their things in the bleachers, chatting about the earlier match. Takahiro was doing the same thing, though without speaking when a sharp stab of pain shot through his ankle again, and he quickly steadied himself to prevent himself from falling onto the seat by steadying his balance with one hand, his eyes wide as he looked down at his right ankle which was throbbing a little.

What is going on? His ankle had been hurting like hell ever since the Kanagawa Prefecture Tournament, and it always hurts extra badly after a match or a practice session. He had assumed at first that it's his muscles which are tired, but now, he don't think so as it even hurts even without him doing any sports or strenuous activities.

"Takahiro." A soft voice behind him caused him to turn his head only to see his vice-captain looking at him with a knowing expression. Taking a quick look around him, he saw that the rest of the team were chatting with each other, oblivious to Takahiro and Rika. Rika frowned slightly as she studied Takahiro's ankle before looking back at her teammate and friend. "Is your foot hurting again?"

Takahiro's eyes widened a slight fraction. "…you noticed?"

Rika sighed. "I would be blind if I do not," she muttered. She looked at him. "I've noticed it for quite some time now." She eyed him carefully. "How bad is the pain?"

Takahiro chewed on his bottom lip before looking back at Rika. "Pretty badly whenever it acts up," he said hesitantly. "At times, it can get so bad that I can hardly walk on it. It gets especially worse after a match or a training session."

Rika studied Takahiro carefully before making up her mind. "Takahiro, you're coming with me to the hospital," she stated, slinging her bag over one shoulder. "Now. We're going to get it checked out at the hospital."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Where are the fukubuchou and Kevin?" wondered Hikaru as the rest of the team waited just outside the arena tennis courts with the former regulars from last year's tennis team, all of them intending to go for some yakiniku to celebrate their victory against Hyotei.

"Takahiro isn't here too." Haruki pointed out. "Where are they?"

"Here Kevin comes now." Marui pointed out as the blonde made his towards them, a tennis bag slung on his back, and a frown on his face. "But Rika and Tanaka aren't with him."

"Kevin, where's the fukubuchou and Takahiro?" asked Haruki curiously.

"About that, they both won't be joining us for yakiniku, I'm afraid," said Kevin hesitantly. "They won't tell me why, but Rika told me to pass you a message as she can't find you, and the battery of her cellphone is dead." He looked at Yukimura as he said this. "She has an urgent matter to deal with Takahiro, and they've both taken off."

"With…that Tanaka?" Yukimura repeated, narrowing his eyes, and Kevin blinked and nodded.

"Yeah," he said. "Rika wouldn't tell me why, only that it's pretty serious. And she is desperate enough to hail for a cab instead of taking the bus with Takahiro."

Yukimura frowned. "Did she say where she'll be going?" he asked.

"No. She only said that she'll be heading to Tokyo," said Kevin.

Yukimura frowned. "I won't be joining you today, I'm afraid," he said curtly before taking off.

"Oi! 'Mura!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Morita Hospital  
__Tokyo_

"Tanaka Takahiro-kun!" The nurse at the receptionist desk called out. "You can go in now."

"Come on, Takahiro," said Rika, getting up from the visitor's chair in the lobby before leading the way to the doctor's room down the hallway which had a plaque which read 'Doctor Oishi' on it. "He's a pretty good doctor. I've seen him myself when I injured my knee that one time last year during training."

"I still think that you're kicking up a fuss over nothing," mumbled Takahiro as he followed Rika into the doctor's room reluctantly, a look on his face which looks as if he was heading to the executioner. "I'm sure that it's nothing much."

"We'll see," was all that Rika said as she pushed him through the door where a doctor was sitting behind a desk.

The doctor looked up and smiled as he saw Rika. "It's been a while, Rika-kun," he said warmly. "Not injured again, are you?"

Rika laughed before motioning for Takahiro to take a seat before the doctor's desk which he did. "Not me this time, Doctor Oishi," she said. "It's my friend." And she gestured towards Takahiro. "He's been complaining of constant pains in his foot for some time now, and the pain gets worse after a tennis match or a training session. It gets so bad at times that he can hardly walk on it."

"I see…" said the doctor, frowning a little as he wrote something on the medical file before him.

"I said that it's nothing, Rika!" Takahiro protested. "It's probably just exhaustion or something. You don't have to take me to see a doctor of all things!"

"I'll be the judge of it, Tanaka-kun," said the doctor, getting up from his chair and walking around his desk to Takahiro before moving a footstool over to Takahiro and getting him to remove his shoe and to place his injured foot on it which he did. "Tezuka-kun said the same thing to me three years ago, and it turns out that he's got an extreme case of Tennis Elbow." He glanced at Takahiro. "Rika-kun wouldn't have brought you here if your injury is nothing. She knows better than anyone about sports injuries." He strapped on a pair of rubber gloves onto his hands before prodding Takahiro's ankle gently. When the doctor prodded on an area just above the heel area, Takahiro winced and flinched which the doctor noticed immediately.

"Does it hurt here more?" He asked curtly, and Takahiro nodded before the doctor scribbled something into the medical file. "Straighten your leg out, Tanaka-kun." Takahiro compiled before the doctor prodded at his ankle, and Takahiro barely restrained himself from crying out in pain as a sharp stab of pain shot through his ankle. "Does it hurt here?" The doctor asked, and Takahiro nodded.

The doctor nodded to himself before scribbling into his medical chart and returning to his chair. Rika frowned as Takahiro winced slightly as he placed his foot back onto the ground after putting on his shoe. "Doctor, what's the matter with him?" she asked.

Doctor Oishi turned his eyes towards Rika and glanced at Takahiro before turning back towards Rika again before he answered. "He's suffering from an extreme case of tendinosis, also otherwise known as chronic tendinitis," he said to Rika's shock. He glanced at Takahiro who seemed clueless and proceeded to explain. "It's basically a chronic tendon injury, with damage done to a tendon at a cellular level. You mentioned that your ankle has been hurting you for quite some time now?" Takahiro nodded dumbly. "That's one of the symptoms. The pain is usually worse before and after activity."

"Are there any treatment for it?" asked Rika, and the doctor nodded.

"There is, but it's pretty slow," he said. "Cellular injuries and torn or damaged tendons and ligaments are pretty slow to heal if injured, and they also rarely regain their original strength. Furthermore, Tanaka-kun's case is a pretty serious one. It's one of the most extreme cases of tendinosis that I've ever seen. He must have been bearing with the pain for close to a year now as the nerves and ligaments in his ankle are severely inflamed and damaged." He paused and glanced at Rika and Takahiro both.

"For now, we can only delay his injury from getting worse by prior use of nitric oxide injections administered weekly by weekly appointments to the hospital as well as some prescribed medication." He wrote something in the medical file before him. "I'll have you come and see me once a week to administer the injections." Takahiro nodded dumbly. "The Medical Association in America had recently researched a new treatment for treating tendinosis by the usage of laser treatment which requires the need of an operation, but that treatment is not available in Japan yet. The Medical Association in Japan are still negotiating with America to allow us to use this treatment here, but until then, Tanaka-kun has to use the nitric oxide injections to control his condition. It won't heal his injury completely, but it can prevent the worsening of his injury. With any luck, we might be able to administer the laser treatment with the use of an operation within six months or so if negotiations go well. But in the meantime, if Tanaka-kun doesn't administer the nitric oxide injections weekly, he might never be able to play tennis again."

**

* * *

**Half-an-hour later, after Rika had helped Takahiro to make his weekly appointments to Doctor Oishi at Morita Hospital to administer the treatment to treat his tendinosis, the two were now walking towards the train station to return to Kanagawa.

Takahiro hasn't spoken a single word ever since Doctor Oishi had broken the news to him. Usually, chronic tendinitis isn't that serious, but in his case, because he had been bearing with the pain for close to a year by now, and he still kept forcing himself to play tennis, thus further worsening his injury, it became extremely serious.

Rika finally broke the silence.

"Takahiro? Are you alright?"

"It's just not fair," he said, stopping and sitting down on a nearby bench, and after a few moments, Rika sat down next to him. Takahiro chuckled bitterly to himself. "The first time that I've met you…was at the finals of the US Open last year." He turned towards Rika. "I was in New York then for the National Chess Tournament, and my cousin took me to the finals between yourself and Lleyton Hewitt as he was a tennis maniac. It was the first time that I had ever seen you." He smiled.

"The famed 'Princess of Tennis', daughter of the Samurai Nanjirou, the legendary tennis player. It's also the first time that I've even seen someone my own age who can actually take on professionals in their own game and win. I decided then that I wanted to surpass you more than anything, and to maybe play you in a match one day." Takahiro chuckled. "That's why I left the music and chess circle and took on tennis. I trained myself crazy for six months in tennis under the guidance and coaching of a former tennis professional before completing my studies in Europe and coming to Japan before enrolling in Rikkaidai Fuzoku where I'd heard that you've returned to after your win at the US Open. That was the reason why I even came here. I wanted to meet you. More than anything…I wanted to meet you." Rika didn't say anything. "Before, I only picked up tennis because I wanted to beat you. But now…I really liked tennis. It's unlike chess and shougi. It's extremely unpredictable. It's fun. I just can't stop playing it." Rika said nothing but merely let Takahiro talk. Takahiro chuckled bitterly at this. "And then…this happens. It's just…not fair!"

Rika didn't know what to say. "It'll be alright," she said at last. "You've heard Doctor Oishi. As long as you go for your weekly rehabilitation and injections to control the cellular damage, it'll be alright, and you can still continue playing tennis as long as you control the training that you do." She looked at Takahiro. "Will you let your parents know?"

Takahiro shook his head. "They're not in Japan," he said. "They have businesses to manage in France and Europe. I came to Japan by myself with my butler. I doubt that they even knew I'm in Rikkaidai Fuzoku."

Rika was silent. "Will you let them know?" she asked at last, and Takahiro shook his head.

"Even if I do, they can't come here anyway," he said sadly. "They never had time for me. I was raised by the maids and servants of the family, not by them. I hardly see them once a year." He glanced at Rika. "It's alright. I'm used to it by now. I can take care of myself." He sighed. "And…about my condition…can you not let the rest of the team know? I don't want them to worry over me."

Rika stared at him before sighing. "You do realise that I must let Kirihara know at least?" she asked. "He has to know the reason why I have to let you off training once a week." She smiled at Takahiro. "Don't worry about Kirihara. He won't say anything about your condition. Not even to Kevin."

Takahiro smiled and nodded. "Thank you." He said before looking up at the sky and then back to Rika. "About the operation…assuming that the hospital had managed to acquire it within six months…can I go for the operation only after the Kantou finals?"

"Huh?" Rika blinked and stared at Takahiro, not believing her ears. "Tanaka Takahiro, do you want to ruin your tennis career?!"

"Please!" Takahiro pleaded, bowing his head, and Rika blinked in shock. His voice was soft at this point in time. "Please…fukubuchou. One last game. Let me play one last game before I go for the operation. If by any chance…if the operation fails…at least I have the chance to fight together with the team until the Kantou finals."

Rika sighed. Why is it that all the players in her team are as stubborn as mules? "I understand," she said, and Takahiro looked at her. "As long as you promise to go for your weekly treatments at the hospital." Takahiro smiled and nodded. "Hurry up and get your injury treated. We'll play a match again once your foot has been healed."

Takahiro smiled and nodded. "Thank you!"

Rika smiled before standing up. "Come on," she said, helping Takahiro to his feet. "Let's go back. You'd better rest up, and make sure to take the medication that the doctor has prescribed you."

"I can walk on my own!" Takahiro protested as they made their way to the train station, with Rika supporting him.

"I'm not taking any chances!"

Takahiro's grumbling soon faded away, and if either one of the two had noticed their surroundings, they would have noticed a certain blue haired teen watching them with both jealously and slight anger in his eyes.

'_What was that all about?' _Yukimura Seiichi thought, clenching his hands into fists.


	39. The Calm Before the Storm

Thank you for all the reviews, favourites and story alerts! To answer a few questions, yes, I'm going to make Takahiro like Rika as a form of story plot, but don't worry, I won't make him act on this…much. As for Rika and Yukimura…yes, they're kind of dense, aren't they? That's probably only one part of canon Ryoma that I'll be including in Rika in this story. Anyway, I hope that you will like this chapter, and please read and review!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Thirty Nine: The Calm Before the Storm**

_Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess  
__We seek it thus, and take it to the sky  
__Ripples form on the water's surface  
__The wandering soul knows no rest  
__- Loveless, Act I_

**

* * *

**_Rikkaidai High School  
__Kanagawa_

Marui Bunta wondered if it's even possible for someone to die of frustration.

The redhead, along with every single one of his friends (the graduates from Rikkaidai Fuzoku) would have to be blind and deaf to not notice that Rika looked extremely angry when she and Yukimura had finished their 'talk' on the day of Rikkaidai Fuzoku's match against Hyotei Gakuen.

The girl was literally spitting fire after that, and her entire team gave their pissed off vice-captain a wide berth especially since every single one of them still wished to live to see their twenties, and Yukimura who had appeared not long after the doubles two match had begun had on a completely blank expression on his face, and everyone who knew him knew that he was angry as well. And not to mention that throughout the entire match until Rika's singles three match, she refused to so much as to look into Yukimura's direction. Marui knew for sure that the two must have a big fight or something.

Unlike most couples, the two hardly ever fought as they were similar in some ways and knew each other well, but when they actually _do_ fight, it will be a major one, and Marui had several guesses as to what, especially by the way that Yukimura had been complaining about one Tanaka Takahiro for several months already.

And now, four whole days after the match between Rikkaidai Fuzoku and Hyotei Gakuen, Marui had miraculously ran into Yukimura on an early Monday morning when he intended to put in some early morning practice before classes begun for them only to see Yukimura already making his way into the school.

The previous night, he had just gotten a frantic phone call from Kevin who told him that he almost thought that winter had came early as the temperature in the house seemed to have dropped several degrees as Rika was in an extremely foul mood ever since the match, and not to mention that she had been spending more time than usual with Takahiro, something that Marui was fairly sure that Yukimura would _not _be pleased to find out.

Granted, the guy was in her class, and sometimes hang out with her, Riku and Sora as the three of them, along with the regulars in the tennis team were his only real friends, but still… Kevin had also mentioned in passing that Rika had also gotten Shuu to draw up a new training regime for Takahiro, and the guy had miraculously gotten one day off per week from training for some strange reason which strangely enough, Kirihara had consented to, and both captain and vice-captain were so tight-lipped on this issue that Shuu was wise enough to keep quiet about it.

Now, ten whole minutes later, Marui and Yukimura were both seated on one of the benches in the tennis courts of Rikkaidai High, and the redhead was groaning as Yukimura told him what had transpired in the fight, and why Rika looked ready to commit murder for the past four days, the volley player nearly tearing his hair out in frustration.

For a guy who is one of the best tennis players in Japan and one of the most popular guys in the school, he sure is pretty dense when it comes to matters like this!

"I hate to say it, 'Mura, but you're in the wrong this time," said Marui with a sigh, and Yukimura turned to him, a look of betrayal on his face.

"What? Even _you _are saying the same thing? Just what did I do anyway?"

Marui sighed. "I'm guessing that Seika-chan said the same thing that I did?" he stated more than asked only to be rewarded by a grunt from Yukimura. "I've known Rika since I was little, 'Mura. I know her. And you've been going out with her ever since she's a freshman. I thought that you should know her by now. Most of her friends are boys because of the sole fact that she's a tennis player, and not just any tennis player, but the _vice-captain _of _Rikkaidai Fuzoku, _Kantou's number one team! Most of the girls in Rikkaidai Fuzoku save for some of the girls in her year level hate her enough as it is because she get to be with the tennis players all the time that she barely has any female friends. In fact, the only girl whom I know hang out with Rika is Tachibana Ann from Fudomine. Takahiro is a bit of a loner, and even most of his teammates in the tennis team don't understand him much. The only ones who can call themselves Takahiro's friends are Rika, Haruki, Riku, Sora and maybe Kevin. That's probably why Rika hang out with Takahiro so much, and why he's one of her good friends. Because the two are so much alike!"

Yukimura was quiet for awhile. "Maybe I did go overboard a little," he mumbled.

Marui sighed. "No shit. No wonder Rika is so angry," he said, rolling his eyes. "And let's face up to it, 'Mura. If you can't trust your own girlfriend, then what is the point in continuing on your relationship?" Yukimura looked at Marui as if he had suddenly grown two new heads. "Clear things up with Rika and apologise to her. I swear, even Kevin was afraid of her for the past few days. And if you didn't matter to her, Rika wouldn't be so angry."

Yukimura didn't say anything.

"Come on," said Marui, getting up from the bench. "Let's get in some practice done, 'Mura. Maybe it'll help take your mind off things."

Yukimura smiled and nodded, taking his racquet with him as he walked out to the courts.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Two Days Later  
__Tokyo District_

"I must say that Fudomine had improved drastically." Hikari was saying as the entire Rikkaidai team made their way slowly out of the arena tennis courts where they had just been to watch Fudomine's match against some no-name school in the Kantou tournament.

Rikkaidai had just finished their match against some no-name school in the Hokkaido district which is so pathetically weak that Hikaru even wondered out loud how that school even managed to get into the Kantou tournament in the first place.

"Yes, but I wonder where their vice-captain is?" wondered Ryou, his hands clasped behind the back of his head. "I distinctly remember seeing him play against Sanada-fukubuchou and Yanagi-sempai last year in the semi-finals of last year's Kantou tournament together with the captain of this year's Fudomine's team as his doubles partner."

Kirihara, Kevin and Rika exchanged looks. They knew alright. Only that they have no intention to tell the rest of their team. Ibu Shinji had long healed from his injuries, only that he's still being kept in the hospital to undergo rehabilitation, and was also required to go for muscle therapy. He should be discharged from the hospital and declared in the pink of health by the time the finals of the Kantou tournament came around. Seigaku will be facing Jyousei Shounan in the semi-finals of the Kantou tournament within two weeks whilst Rikkaidai will be facing Fudomine. If all goes well, Rikkaidai and Seigaku will be facing each other in the finals of the Kantou tournament, and that isn't a match that Rika will be looking forward to.

Shiki didn't look too well when Rika had last seen him as well. The poor guy must be really worried about his team, and not to mention that issue about Kenneth had him, as well as Kaidoh and Momoshiro on pins and needles all the time. Sora had even mentioned that morale within the Seigaku team isn't on an all time high because of one Kenneth Smith, and the sooner that Kenneth and Kevin face each other in a match, the better it is for all of them for the sake of their sanity.

Rika stopped in her tracks just then as she saw a certain team making their way towards the exit of the arena tennis courts from the opposite court, nearly causing her entire team to crash into her.

"What is it, Rika?" whined Haruki. "Why did you stop so suddenly?"

Kevin and Kirihara have both gone stony faced as well, glaring at a certain player in the Seigaku team currently in front of them. Rika had just seen the board on which was listed the names of all the schools participating in the Kantou tournament, and she knew that Seigaku had won their match against Yamabuki Chuu.

And yet, for a school that had just won their match, enabling them to qualify for the semi-finals round held in two weeks' time, the entire Seigaku team save for one player don't look very happy. In fact, Shiki looked quite pale and almost sick, and he was almost supported by some sophomore regular in the Seigaku's team whom Rika recognised as Kachiro – one of Seigaku's best doubles players.

Rika almost sighed when she caught sight of her friend. She can't help feeling sorry for the guy. All that worrying about his team, the thinking that he has to do about Kenneth as well as all the things that he has to do to prevent his team from falling apart because of one Kenneth Smith must be driving him up the wall and making his health worse.

But Kevin didn't see any of those things that Rika did. Instead, his main focus is on the blonde standing among the Seigaku team, which if anyone had noticed, was being given a wide berth by the rest of the Seigaku regulars.

Kevin frowned inwardly and clenched his hands into fists by his sides, with Kirihara placing a hand on his shoulder. Kenneth smirked at the sight of his twin, and over at Seigaku's side, Shiki and Kaidoh exchanged looks and gave out simultaneous sighs. The captains and vice-captains of Rikkaidai and Seigaku respectively have been hoping that Kevin and Kenneth wouldn't have the chance to meet, but it looks like their prayers have gone unanswered.

"It's been a long time, Kevin," said Kenneth, a smirk on his face.

Kevin didn't say anything, but merely looked at Kenneth with a stony expression on his face. If Rika didn't know better, she'll think that Kevin had suddenly decided to imitate a statue.

"Who did you send to the hospital this time, Kenneth?" Kevin asked at last. "When are you going to stop with this?"

All of Seigaku and Rikkaidai save for Shiki, Kaidoh, Momoshiro, Rika and Kirihara exchanged bewildered looks, wondering just how the two knew each other, and why Kevin and Kenneth were looking at each other as if they would both like nothing more than to kill the other.

"Saa," said Kenneth with a smirk. "I don't get why you're always objecting against my style of tennis. Who cares how I won as long as I win the match anyway?"

Shiki had to physically restrain one of the third years in his team back by this point in time with Kaidoh and Momoshiro's help, though the Seigaku captain himself looked as if he wanted nothing more than to tear Kenneth to pieces.

"You can't…call that style of yours…tennis," said Kevin. "Tennis…isn't meant to be used as a tool to breed hatred."

"We'll see if I can call my style tennis or not once I thrash you in tennis."

"I'll like to see you try, you half-baked circus sideshow!" Rika suddenly snarled, startling all Rikkaidai players who hadn't seen their vice-captain this pissed before.

"What? A game between brothers shouldn't be too hard, can it, Rika?"

"You have no right to call me by name."

"They're _brothers?!" _said some Seigaku regular in astonishment, looking from Kevin to Kenneth and back again.

"This is…unexpected."

Kaidoh hissed one long hiss, sounding like a deflating balloon.

Kenneth smirked. "How about it? One match? Just between us brothers?"

"Out of the question!"

"Fukubuchou?" Haruki voiced out.

Everyone in Rikkaidai blinked and looked at their vice-captain who had such an expression of fury on her face that they were all strongly reminded of a dragon breathing fire at everything that dared come near her. Her mood for the past week or so is _nothing _compared to the look on her face right now which looked ready to kill.

"_Kenneth!" _Shiki growled, the guy looked ready to both collapse and kill, not really looking in the best of health. Rika narrowed her eyes a little as he stifled a cough, and glanced at the flushed look on his cheeks. "Get back here this instant! Now!"

Kenneth growled and glanced at his captain who looked ready to collapse, but still stubbornly remained standing. He then turned back towards Kevin who was being held back by Kirihara who had a hand on his shoulder. Kenneth then smirked. "I'll be waiting for your answer…little brother."

He then turned and left.

A very long silence fell after the Seigaku team had left.

"What was that all about?" asked Shuu at last.

Kirihara and Rika exchanged looks before the two turned back to the team. "Nothing much," said Rika. "Alright, we'll dismiss here. Let's meet at the school for training tomorrow morning."

**

* * *

**_Half-an-Hour Later  
__Tokyo District_

Shiki fell against the wall, coughing into his hand. He had been feeling unwell for several days now, but he couldn't afford to show his team that he's ill or even afford to take any time off because of the tension between his team now.

The Seigaku captain nearly jumped as a cool hand touched his shoulder, and he turned to see Rikkaidai's vice-captain standing behind him.

Rika sighed as she held out a white dispenser bag with the local pharmacy's name on it. "I've brought some medicine for your fever and cough," she said. "Come on, let's find a place to sit. Then you can tell me everything that has happened so far."

**

* * *

**_Kawamura Sushi  
__Tokyo District_

Shiki coughed harshly again as Kawamura gave him a cup of green tea, looking at him in concern. "Shinderui, are you alright?" he asked in concern. "You look ready to collapse."

"I'm alright, Kawamura-sempai," said Shiki, waving his hand. "I'll be fine after taking some medicine and some rest." He then popped some of the pills that Rika had bought from the pharmacy earlier before drinking the tea that Kawamura had given him.

Rika sighed. "What's the point in working yourself to exhaustion until you've fallen sick?" she asked with exasperation. "Judging by your condition, you're probably already sick for several days."

"I can't afford to take time off now, you know this, Rika," said Shiki tiredly. "If I'm not there with the team, I don't even want to think what will happen with Kenneth. Kaidoh-sempai isn't enough to exert control."

Rika said nothing but just allow Shiki to talk.

Shiki chuckled bitterly to himself, and Kawamura excused himself, knowing this to be a private conversation between the two. "I'm…a failure as a captain," he said miserably. "Tezuka-buchou entrusted Seigaku to me, willing to trust me with the team in order to bring Seigaku to the Nationals this year. But… Look at what I've did! I brought in a guy who has no right calling himself a tennis player into the team! I've practically dragged Seigaku's name through the mud! Buchou will be disappointed in me."

"That's not true," said Rika patiently. "Tezuka-san is rather similar to my own captain. He won't blame you for something like this. He'll understand."

"What am I going to do?"

"Wait for the finals." Shiki turned towards Rika, and the dark haired girl sighed. "If your school manage to defeat Jyousei Shounan, and Rikkaidai managed to defeat Fudomine, we'll meet in the Kantou finals. And if Kevin managed to defeat Kenneth…probably…he would change his style of tennis." Rika turned towards Shiki. "Kenneth isn't like this in the past. His tennis isn't like this. He's probably playing this style of tennis so that he won't forget his father because Spartan Tennis…is George Smith's style of tennis."

Shiki stared at Rika. _Now _he understood why Kenneth insisted on playing this style of…_destructive _tennis.

"But with Kevin's current skills…there's no way that he could beat Kenneth."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_The Next Day  
__Music Room  
__Rikkaidai Fuzoku_

"_Wee ki ra chs Chronicle Key en grandee sos dius yor  
__Wee ki ra araus tes soare an giue mea iem  
__Was au ga whai pauwel ferda enter whou na needle sor  
__en whai pauwel gaunji yasra whou na senjue sor tou zuieg  
__Was au ga, Diasee, Pausee  
__aiph yos dealij zuieg, en needle eterne falfa  
__siepir tes pauwel an hyzik  
__fatere tes pauwel chs deleir, en ousye yor_

_Wee ki ra selena anw yasra wiene  
__en chs Chronicle Key sos yor  
__Wee ki ra araus tes soare an giue mae iem  
__Grandi en eterne slepial  
__presia aterra cremia sos viuy lonfa  
__yehar lamenza der soare mea"_

School had just ended for Rikkaidai Fuzoku, and as there was no tennis training for the team that day, Rika had followed Riku to his music practice with Sora where Riku was currently playing his violin to the singing of a girl in their next class, Fuyama Miyako.

Rika and Sora both were standing outside the music room where there was a see-through glass to see the inhabitants of the room and Rika was listening intently to this Latin song that Riku had spent days practicing.

There were light footsteps just then, and Rika turned to see Takahiro and Haruki walking up to Rika, and she raised an eyebrow, as last that she'd heard, the two were together with Kevin who seemed to be trying to make himself collapse from exhaustion.

"Kevin's at the rooftop." Haruki answered the unasked question. "Yurika-chan's gone to talk to him."

Rika nodded. If there's anyone who can make Kevin come to his senses, it's Yurika.

"Fukubuchou." Rika turned towards Haruki. "That Seigaku player…Kenneth Smith…who is he to Kevin? Just who is he? Fukubuchou, you know, right?"

Rika sighed. She knew that this was coming. "As you might probably tell from their names, Kevin and Kenneth are brothers. They're paternal twins. A few years ago, Kevin's mother died, and his father was jailed for illegal possession of firearms as well as child abuse." She sighed. "Kenneth had always been their father's favourite, and he didn't take it too well that Kevin was the witness that led to their father being put behind bars for lifetime imprisonment. And it also didn't help matters that the prosecutor in charge of that case back then was my mother. But things got worse when we were in elementary school."

Takahiro cocked his head to one side. "What happened?" he asked.

Rika sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose to lessen her headache. "Back in elementary school, and even before that, Kevin has never won against Kenneth once in a tennis match. It was because I was the captain of the tennis team back then in America, and we didn't allow Kenneth on the team as Kevin and myself knew that he uses Spartan Tennis – a form of violent tennis. His father taught him that style when he was little." Rika pinched the bridge of her nose. "He refused to use it before his father was jailed, but after that…he started using it. As you can see, Kenneth didn't take the fact that we refused to allow him on the team back then too well. I have no idea what Shiki is thinking as well…allowing him on the Seigaku team. But if Seigaku continues winning their matches, without a doubt, we'll face them soon enough."

"So if we face Seigaku, and Kevin actually plays in this match…" Haruki trailed off.

Rika nodded. "He'll want to face Kenneth. He's been running from his twin ever since his mother had died and his father was put behind bars. When they were kids, Kenneth had always been the one protecting Kevin. The two of them had a close relationship. This sudden rift between them is probably because Kevin was the witness testifying against their father in that case…and because my mother is the prosecutor of the case back then, and…I was Kevin's best friend as well as childhood friend." She sighed. "No matter what they did, Kenneth had always been the better of the two. That's why…" She looked at Takahiro and Haruki. "I probably shouldn't even tell you this, but you have to understand their complicated relationship. This rift between them both…should be resolved once they faced each other in a match." She chuckled. "It's always been this way. Whenever they argued when they were little, they made up with each other with a tennis match. They never change."

There was the sound of footsteps just then, and everyone turned to see Ryou walking up to them, stifling a yawn, his uniform half tucked-out and his hair a little untidy, looking as if he had just rolled out of bed. "Fukubuchou, you've got a visitor," said Ryou, jerking his thumb over his shoulder.

Takahiro, Rika, Haruki and Sora blinked as one. Usually, visitors are escorted by a student or a teacher in Rikkaidai Fuzoku and were never allowed to go about in the school alone.

"Who is it?"

Ryou looked over his shoulder and a tall blonde teen with pale blue eyes dressed in casual clothes came about the corner, and Rika's eyes widened before she smiled weakly at the visitor.

"…Krauser."

**

* * *

**One Kevin Smith was currently sitting on the rooftop of the school, his back against the water tank as he listened to the faint sounds of Riku's violin and Miyako's singing from the music room which is the room just below the rooftop.

The wind was currently blowing gently through Kevin's hair, but the blonde was ignoring it, leafing through a leather bound photo album which was full of pictures of himself and his brother when they were little. Kevin smiled rather sadly as he looked at a picture which was of him and his twin when they were both four years old, both of them holding onto a tennis racquet which was too big for them. Kenneth was grinning at the camera with an arm around Kevin who was smiling rather weakly.

Kevin stared at the photo, tracing the image of his brother. What had gone wrong? Why had things come to this?

"Sempai."

Kevin looked up to see Yurika climbing up the ladder to the water tank, her school bag hang across her chest, and the blonde smiled rather weakly as he saw the girl. Yurika made her way over to Kevin and sat down beside him, with Kevin shifting over to give her some room. Yurika is about the only girl apart from Rika and Yuki whom Kevin would allow close contact with.

"This is…" Yurika muttered, seeing the photo album in Kevin's hands.

Kevin smiled before closing the album. "Those are of me and my brother when we were little."

Yurika nodded. "Rika-sempai told me what had happened," she said. "She told me about your childhood."

"I see…"

Yurika sighed. "Can't you just talk to your brother? Like how I always talk to mine whenever I had problems?" She sighed. "I mean, both of you are brothers, isn't it? Can't you just sit down and talk this over?"

Kevin sighed. "It's not that simple, Yurika," he said. "I have no idea if Rika told you about Kenneth, but you don't know him like we do. Back then, our father isn't kind of…right in the head, and Kenneth is a little unstable himself back then because of anger management issues." He sighed. "I'm thankful to Rika's family for taking me in. But Kenneth thinks of it as a form of betrayal. When Rika and I were in St. Andrews, she refused to let Kenneth on the team because she knew that he started to use Spartan Tennis then."

"Then what are you going to do?"

Kevin sighed, leaning his head back to watch the sky. "I don't intend to accept his challenge," he said. "Besides, I know for sure that Rika will skin me alive if I do. And if the authorities ever found out, Rikkaidai might be disqualified from participating in the Kantou tournament, and then the _entire team _will skin me alive. Besides, I can't beat him now with my current skills. I have to get stronger." Kevin clenched his hands into fists. "I'll wait. Someday, when Rikkaidai and Seigaku faced each other in an official match, _then _I'll beat him fair and square."

"You will," said Yurika with a smile. "I believe that you can."

Kevin smiled and nodded.

**

* * *

**"I've heard from Marui about Kenneth," said Krauser the moment that Rika had brought him to the sakura tree not too far from the tennis courts where the tennis regulars always gathered for their lunch for some privacy. "What are you going to do?"

"Nothing," said Rika with a slight shake of her head before she sighed and leaned against the trunk of the sakura tree with her arms crossed as she looked up at the rooftop of the school. "Besides, I doubt that Kevin will do anything as well."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Takahiro winced as he held onto the wire netting of the fence of the tennis courts, eyeing his ankle. It was near sundown, and the rest of the team had already gone back as that day was self-training. He had been training with Haruki that day until the teen had gone back. Rika was currently locking up the tennis clubroom, and he had offered to lock up the tennis courts for her. In fact, the moment that he had locked up the final tennis court, the pain had acted up again.

"Takahiro?"

Takahiro looked up only to see Rika coming towards him with a frown before she steadied his balance by gripping hold of his arm. "It's acting up again?" she asked, and Takahiro nodded with a wince. "Do you have the spray coolant that Doctor Oishi had given you in cases like this?"

Takahiro nodded. "It's in my bag," he said.

Rika nodded. "Come on, let's find a place to sit before I help you with it."

Wincing, Takahiro hobbled over to the bench just outside the tennis clubroom before sitting down on it and removing his shoe before rolling down part of his sock, revealing the bandage wrapped around his heel and ankle to control the damage of his injury.

"You have an appointment with Doctor Oishi two days from now, isn't it?" asked Rika, and Takahiro nodded as he gave Rika the spray coolant which the doctor had prescribed for him in the event if the pain should act up. Takahiro winced and bit on his lower lip to prevent himself from crying out in pain as Rika removed the bandage around his foot and sprayed the coolant before rubbing gently around the injured area like how the doctor had taught them both before bandaging his foot carefully. "I'm sorry. I know that it hurts, but please bear with it."

Takahiro nodded and bit on his lower lip to prevent himself from crying out in pain. He turned his gaze onto the dark haired girl who had her attention focused onto his injured limb before leaning forwards a little…

"_What are you both doing?!"_

Rika and Takahiro turned towards the source of the voice only to see one Yukimura Seiichi standing behind them in casual clothes, staring at Rika's hands which were rubbing Takahiro's ankle a little. Rika's eyes widened in surprise at seeing Yukimura.

"S-Seiichi? What are you doing here?"

**

* * *

**After getting his ear yelled off by one Atobe Keigo who had confronted him on the reason why his baby cousin was in such a bad mood for the past week or so, Yukimura finally decided to swallow his pride and to go and apologise, and to also take his girlfriend out for dinner at the sushi restaurant that she liked so much as it was their one year anniversary that day, though he is willing to bet that Rika had probably forgotten about it, being in such a foul mood for the past week or so.

And so, Yukimura had decided to pay a surprise visit to Rika and to also see how his old team was doing. What he didn't expect was to find his girlfriend's back facing him, with her doing kami-knows-what, and with Tanaka Takahiro leaning forwards, acting like he was about to kiss her!

"_What are you both doing?!"_

**

* * *

**Rika stared at Yukimura as several emotions ran across his face at once.

"That's _my_ question!" said Yukimura, a note of anger in his voice. "What are you both doing?! Going to make out or something?!"

"_Whaaat?!"_

Takahiro gulped as he put on his shoe as Rika nearly shrieked at her boyfriend, and he can tell that she is definitely _not _happy!

"A-Ano…"

"What do you mean by _that?!"_

Takahiro blinked as Rika suddenly seemed to have vanished from his side before appearing before Yukimura Seiichi, practically screaming in his face, a look of absolute fury on her face. In fact, Takahiro would have been afraid for Yukimura's life if he hadn't been afraid for _his_ _own._

"What do you mean 'what'?! What are the both of you doing over there in the school of all places?!"

Rika suddenly seemed to have remembered Takahiro's presence and turned towards the teen. "Takahiro, I'll see you tomorrow. Go back now. Please."

Takahiro nodded before grabbing his bag and taking the back way so that he can avoid walking by Yukimura and Rika who both looked ready to kill. And he decided wisely that maybe it wasn't the wisest decision to interfere in a lover's spat.

"To you, am I exactly that type of person?!"

"What do you want me to think?! You claimed that you and Tanaka are just close friends! Yet what I see the two of you doing contradicts what you've claimed yourselves to be!"

SMACK!

Yukimura staggered back at the slap that Rika had dealt him, and he blinked at the sight of tears leaking out from the corners of Rika's eyes, and she lowered her hand. "You don't trust me at all!" she nearly screamed. "Why can't you trust me?! And why can't you believe that there really is nothing between Takahiro and me?!"

"R-Rika!"

Rika turned around and ran from him, tears leaking out from the corners of her eyes as she did so.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_The Next Day  
__Rikkaidai High_

Marui nearly groaned, resisting the urge to bang his head against his locker. It was early morning, and there was still about an hour to go before lessons begun for them, and the tennis regulars of Rikkaidai High save for their captain and vice-captain who were seniors were all gathered in the locker hallway of Rikkaidai High, ignoring their adoring fangirls. Yukimura had just finished telling his friends the result and reason of another big fight between himself and Rika the previous day, and Marui looked as if he wanted nothing more than to bang his head against the nearest wall.

"Yukimura, you are really the greatest _idiot _that I've ever seen in my entire life!" said Marui harshly, and everyone turned towards the redhead in surprise. "You should know Rika better than this! The one thing that Rika had in her which is unfortunately lacking in most people these days is a sense of honour. She would _never _do something like what you're describing behind your back! The mere _thought _of what you've just said would never have occurred to her as she would never dishonour herself by committing such an act!"

"Marui's right!" said Niou, backing up his friend. "Yukimura, I thought that you should have known her better than this! Rika would never do something like this! Besides, from what I've heard, that Tanaka kid had been suffering from a sports injury ever since the Kanagawa Prefecture Tournament. That's why Rika is helping him. He's all alone in Japan especially since his parents are in France and Europe respectively. That's why she's helping him."

"But…"

Yagyuu sighed, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Yukimura, I admit that Tanaka probably likes Rika, especially since they've been spending so much time together, but like Rika, he too has a sense of honour, and he would never do something like this even if he likes her!"

Yukimura was silent. "Maybe I've gone a little too far then."

Marui nearly rolled his eyes. "No shit," he said. "I'm not surprised that Rika smacked you. Yukimura, you would be very close to losing her if you keep causing misunderstandings like this."

"I know!" said Yukimura, and the bell went off just then. "You guys go on ahead. I still have to get my Chemistry book."

His friends and teammates nodded before they headed down the hallway to their classrooms, and Yukimura sighed as he turned towards his locker and took out his Chemistry book before shutting the locker door and locking it.

"Yukimura-kun."

Yukimura turned only to see a flash of brown, and he was suddenly pushed back against the lockers, dropping all his books in the process, and a pair of lips was suddenly clamped down on his own, to which he desperately tried to push the owner of it off him.

"RIKA!"

Yukimura finally managed to push the girl kissing him off, and turned just in time to see a flash of raven black disappear around the corner, and he also saw Sora and Riku standing not too far from him, the two boys looking down some corner.

Sora turned angry looking eyes back towards Yukimura just then. "Yukimura-sempai!"

Yukimura was a tad bit afraid for his own life for an instant at Sora's ferocious look which rather looks like an angry lioness about to pounce on her prey. "Now, hang on a minute. I can explain—"

"Explain to Rika, not us!" said Riku angrily, cutting him off. "She saw everything! I hope for your sake that you really have a good explanation. We're going to go after Rika. Sora, come on!"

Sora nodded before giving Yukimura one dirty look and taking off after Riku.

Yukimura nearly groaned. Is this a bad week for Aries?

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Rika had no idea where she was running to as she ran through the streets, tears threatening to leak out from the corners of her eyes. Like a film placed on rewind, the scene which she saw of Yukimura kissing another girl kept replaying in her mind.

'_You lied to me! Everyone was a lie!'_

_Long lost words whisper slowly to me  
__Still can't find what keeps me here  
__When all this time I've been so hollow inside  
__I know you're still there_

_Watching me, wanting me  
__I can feel you pull me down  
__Fearing you, loving you  
__I won't let you pull me down_

_Hunting you, I can smell you__…__alive  
__Your heart pounding in my head_

_Watching me, wanting me  
__I can feel you pull me down  
__Saving me, raping me, watching me_

_Watching me, wanting me  
__I can feel you pull me down  
__Fearing you__, __loving you  
__I won't let you pull me down_

Rika bumped into someone just then. "Gomen!" she mumbled a quick apology before moving on her way, but before she could do so, the person whom she had just bumped into grabbed hold of her arm.

"Hold on!"

Rika turned towards the person who had grabbed her only to see a concerned looking Shinderui Shiki who was looking quite concerned over Rika's current distraught state. "Rika?"

"…Shiki?"

Shiki narrowed his eyes slightly as he caught sight of the tell-tale signs of tears. "…are you crying?" he asked carefully before looking back to his friend. He knew for sure that Rika _never _cried. "What happened?"

**

* * *

**Ten minutes later, Rika and Shiki both were leaning against the window glass of a boutique in the town as Shiki bought Rika a drink in order for her to calm down as he listened to what Rika has to say, the girl holding back her tears.

"I don't think that Yukimura-san would do a thing like that," said Shiki sensibly before he turned back towards Rika. "There must be a reasonable explanation for it. Why don't you wait for him to explain before jumping to conclusions?"

"Then what is it that I've seen?" asked Rika, and Shiki shrugged silently. "What are you doing here anyway? Shouldn't you be in school now?"

"I have the day off today," said Shiki sheepishly. "Kaidoh-sempai threatened me that if he saw me in school today, he'll personally escort me home. I almost collapsed during training yesterday, and Kaidoh-sempai brought me home before calling for a doctor. I'm on medical leave."

"I told you to rest up, didn't I?" asked Rika, rolling her eyes. "Then what are you doing here when you're supposed to be resting?"

"I thought that I wanted to find Kevin regarding Kenneth," said Shiki. "What about you? Shouldn't you be in school now as well?"

Rika was silent. "…I don't feel like going to class today." She said at last. "I'll probably skip class for the day. I can get my notes from Takahiro, Sora or Riku tomorrow. I won't miss much since I'm currently at the top of my class."

"I see."

The two were broken from their thoughts when they heard an odd sound.

It was a high pitched screech, and it was fast becoming loud. Rika was startled, and she turned and looked around. And in that split second, she saw several things clearly.

The face of a shop vendor opposite them was one of horror, staring at Shiki and Rika in horror and shock. But the thing of most importance was the dark blue van that was skidding against the wet roads that rainy morning, with the rain just stopping moments ago, it's tires locked and squealing against the brakes, spinning wildly out of control. It was heading straight towards Rika and Shiki both, and they didn't have enough time to get out of the way.

**

* * *

**Riku was cursing as he ran down the streets, his head whipping to and fro as he searched for his missing friend. It looks like he may have to miss class for that day after all.

"I swear, Yukimura-sempai is a dead man!" Riku growled, looking left and right in search of Rika with Sora by his side.

"I agree with you, Riku, but let's find Rika first!" said Sora as they ran down the street, and as the two rounded around the corner, the sight on the street caused them to stop in their tracks.

The glass window of a boutique on the street was smashed in by a dark blue van, glass pieces all over the place, and the window display sets of the boutique were smashed beyond repair. A crowd was gathered around the boutique, and Riku's blood turned cold when he heard someone yell, "Hey! Get those kids out of there!"

Riku got a sudden bad feeling as he immediately raced up to the crowd with Sora behind him, pushing through the crowd to the front, and the silver haired teen nearly had a heart attack when he saw two men lifting the mangled van partially off the ground in order for others to pull out the two who were currently trapped beneath the van.

One was Sora's cousin who was currently unconscious, various cuts on his left cheek, and he was bleeding profusely from his left hand, and blood was streaming down his body. The other was currently being pulled out gently from beneath the van to avoid worsening her injuries, and Riku's heart nearly stopped when he saw that it was Rika. Her left hand was bleeding profusely, and there were some glass shards visible in her hand, and her white uniform was stained red with her blood.

Riku heard Sora gasp beside him and turned to see the brunette staring with wide eyes at his cousin and best friend, looking as if he was about to faint. "…Sora. Sora. Sora!"

Sora looked at Riku as he called Sora's name, his eyes wide and terrified, his face as pale as a sheet. "R-Riku?"

"Sora, snap out of it," said Riku firmly, placing one hand on Sora's shoulder, hiding his nervousness and shock. "Call Rika's cousin and family. Now. I'll call your cousin's family and an ambulance. Can you do it?"

Sora nodded dumbly. "Y-Yeah," he said, fumbling about in his pocket for his cellphone before dialling the correct number in the keypad. "H-Hello? Nanako-san? I-It's me…"

Ten minutes later, an ambulance had arrived at the scene, and the paramedics were stopping the bleeding and were soon lifting the two into the ambulance carefully, one of the paramedics fixing a respirator and an oxygen mask over Rika's face.

Sora's face was pale as he watched the paramedics do their work, his hands clasped into a prayer position. "Riku. They're going to be okay, right? They're going to be just fine?"

"Of course. They'll be just alright." Riku bit his lip, staring at the pale face of his friend as they loaded her into the ambulance, not even sure if he's saying that to convince Sora or himself. "…they're going to be alright. They got to be…"


	40. When It Rains, It Pours

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Forty: When It Rains, It Pours**

_There is no hate, only joy  
__For you are loved by the goddess  
__Hero of the dawn, Healer of worlds  
__Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul  
__Pride is lost  
__Wings stripped away, the end of nigh  
__- Loveless, Act II_

**

* * *

**_Rikkaidai Fuzoku  
__Kanagawa District_

"_The recipient whom you are trying to reach is currently unavailable. Please try again—" Click._

Takahiro gave out a frustrated sigh as he ended the call on his phone. It was currently third period, and Takahiro had been trying to reach Rika ever since morning practice had ended that day, and there was still no sight of Rika. Kirihara had told the team that Rika had something urgent to deal with that day, and had said that she'll be late for practice, but the fukubuchou had never turned up.

Now, Takahiro knew Rika well, and knew that she'll _never _miss a day of training if she could help it. Hell, the girl even trains by herself even if there isn't any tennis training scheduled for the team. However, when even Riku and Sora didn't turn up in class that day, Takahiro got _really _worried.

The teen was feeling quite guilty as he felt that it was his fault that Rika had a fight with her boyfriend. Rika had even told him countless times whenever she took him to the hospital for his weekly visits to administer the nitric oxide injections that she wouldn't allow Takahiro to go to the hospital by himself anyway.

Takahiro had been quite distracted throughout the entire day even during morning practice, but fortunately for him, Kirihara and Kevin have both been quite distracted as well, and both kept glancing at their watches and to the entrance of the tennis courts to notice Takahiro's stranger-than-normal behaviour. The teen himself had made nearly fifty phone calls to Rika's cellphone only to find that her phone is turned off. And Riku and Sora's cellphones were turned off as well.

Takahiro was getting a really bad feeling about this…

The sophomores of Rikkaidai Fuzoku all have a free period just after third period, and Takahiro had been spending that free period up on the roof, trying to reach Rika, Sora and Riku, but to no avail. But if it's one thing that the Chessmaster of Rikkaidai is known for, it's for his patience.

'_Come on, Rika, answer the phone!' _Takahiro thought as he dialled Rika's number once more and connected the call only to receive the voice message that Rika's phone is currently turned off, and trying once more. _'Where are you?'_

As Takahiro was about to make his sixty-seventh phone call to Rika, the door to the roof opened just then, and Takahiro turned to see Haruki walking towards him with such a sombre expression on his face that looks as if someone had just died, and he even had his school satchel slung across his chest.

"Haruki?" Takahiro blinked as he ended the call and placed his cellphone back into his pocket. "Is there something wrong?"

Haruki looked at Takahiro seriously. "Something happened," he stated. "Kirihara-buchou was called out of class during second period earlier this morning to the school office. There was an emergency phone call from Riku."

Takahiro blinked. "From Riku?" he echoed. "He played truant or something? That's rare. But why did he call the school office?"

Haruki looked at Takahiro and didn't answer, and Takahiro immediately got a bad feeling about it. Haruki finally sighed and looked at Takahiro. "Takahiro, Riku was calling from the hospital," he said, and Takahiro felt as if his heart had just plummeted straight down into his boots. "There was a car accident in the town district of Kanagawa earlier this morning. And the fukubuchou was involved in it." Takahiro nearly stopped breathing, and he probably had a heart attack as well. "Kevin was called out of class in the middle of third period by Kirihara-buchou, and not long after that, all the tennis regulars were being called out of class. We have special permission from the principal to skip our classes for the rest of the day and to go to the hospital now."

Takahiro nearly couldn't recognise his own voice as he spoke. "W-Which hospital?"

Haruki sighed, and looked older than he actually was. "The hospital in Kanagawa was full because of some punks doing some illegal street racing last night, and thus, they couldn't take in the fukubuchou and the other victim involved in the accident. They're currently at Morita Hospital," he answered. "Tokyo district." Haruki sighed. "Go and pack up your books and get your bag, Takahiro. We'll be at the front of the school. Hurry."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Rikkaidai High School  
__Kanagawa District_

The students at Rikkaidai High all have a free period after third period every Thursday as the teachers in the school have their usual meeting, and most of the students usually took the chance to laze around, and the sports clubs usually took that chance to get in some extra training done.

However, things that Thursday morning was a little different.

The captain and vice-captain of the tennis team of Rikkaidai High – Kirihara Akira and Himura Haruka – were actually wondering where all their regulars were, and were actually intending to drag them down to practice as the two seniors assumed that their regulars probably lost track of time whilst doing some project, only to decide to leave all their regulars alone when they heard loud and angry voices coming from the direction of the lockers where the regulars were last seen.

The loud and angry unmistakable voice of one Atobe Keigo could be heard loud and clear, and it was _still _a mystery to everyone in Rikkaidai High how the pompous Atobe heir could find the time to travel from Tokyo to Kanagawa during his school hours with his ever loyal silent bodyguard with him.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY YOU ACCIDENTALLY KISSED HER??!!" Atobe screamed at Yukimura, and all passing Rikkaidai students immediately scattered for cover as an angry Atobe is a sight to see, especially since the rich Atobe heir rarely loses his temper. "CAN'T YOU PUSH HER AWAY OR SOMETHING??!!"

Somewhere behind Atobe and Yukimura, Marui was shaking his head, feeling sorry for Yukimura, but glad that he wasn't in Yukimura's shoes, especially since if it's one thing that the Atobe family in Japan is known for, it was the fact that they were all extremely protective over their family, especially a certain 'Ice Princess' that everyone in the middle school tennis circuit were quite familiar with.

Apparently, the previous day was the birthday of Atobe's mother, and Atobe nee Takeuchi Ryoko had naturally invited her beloved younger sister and her family to the party, eager to see her precious niece and nephew again. Rika had acted normally in front of Keigo's mother, smiling like nothing was wrong, but Keigo knew his cousin well and wasn't fooled.

His Insight wasn't only used on the tennis courts. He was also good at reading people, and his teammates in Hyotei actually assumed once that this 'reading' ability must run in the family as Rika and her brother, Ryoga, could do it as well, though Rika's ability was more polished than theirs.

Sometime during the middle of the party, Ryoga had somehow gotten 'kidnapped' by some charming young ladies from his college whom Keigo had invited to his mother's birthday party, and the members of the Hyotei team were somehow kept busy by Oshitari and Kabaji, and Keigo had somehow managed to find an excuse that he needed to go and see to his dogs, and had promptly dragged his baby cousin with him.

After that, everything had came spilling out when Keigo had questioned just why Rika seemed so down and unhappy that day, and actually looked on the verge of crying. Keigo was actually ready to go and murder one Yukimura Seiichi right then and there had Rika not stopped him, and stated that she's going to go to Rikkaidai High the next morning before school to explain things to her boyfriend and to also apologise. For even though it's Yukimura's fault in the first place for jumping to conclusions, she's as much in the wrong for not explaining and clarifying things with him.

As such, somewhere in the middle of his first period of class that day when Keigo got worried about his cousin and tried to contact her only to be unable to get through, he felt warning bells ringing through his head just then as Rika _always _made sure that she was always able to be reached because of a certain paranoid and overprotective father that she had, and an even more overprotective elder brother who almost acts like an older version of Seigaku's Oishi when it comes to his baby sister.

As such, one Atobe Keigo decided to skip the rest of his classes that day as he somehow couldn't sit still, can't help feeling that something is up with his cousin, and had headed straight to the Kanagawa district with Kabaji, first dropping at Rikkaidai Fuzoku only to learn that his cousin had never came into school that day, and had immediately headed straight to Rikkaidai High only to learn what had happened that day before school, and the rich Atobe heir had immediately flown into a temper, and Niou had swore to Marui later that he could literally _see _fireworks flying from Atobe's eyes, and he was literally spitting sparks, and that was actually the first time in his life that he had ever seen Yukimura so afraid.

Yukimura winced and tried again to explain. "Like I was saying, I _tried _to push her away, but Rika unfortunately came just as she was…erm well…"

"Kissing you." Niou injected helpfully before nearly withering beneath the combined glares of both Atobe and Yukimura, and wisely decided to shut up.

Atobe nearly growled. "Yukimura, I really have no idea how to help you now," he said. "You know my cousin, and you know how stubborn Rika is. You're going to find it extremely difficult to convince her—"

"_Konna ni no tooku e futari wa kite shimatte__… __Ano koro no__… __Osanai kimi no hohoemi ni mou kaerenai ne__…"_

Atobe's cellphone rang just then, and the rich Atobe heir scowled darkly before fishing one of his three cellphones out of his pocket – one of the latest models in the market – and snapped irritably at the caller on the other end of the line.

"_What?!"_

Jackal nearly winced. "I can't help feeling sorry for whoever is on the other end of the line right now," he muttered, and the rest of his teammates agreed with him. May kami-sama help you if you're calling Atobe for something less than a life-and-death matter if he's in a foul mood.

The Rikkaidai tennis team blinked in confusion just then as they saw Atobe paled considerably as he listened to whatever the caller on the other end of the line has to say, and his cellphone looked dangerously close to slipping out of his grasp.

"Riku. You're not pulling my leg, are you?" Atobe asked at last after a full two minutes had passed without him saying a single word, and he gripped so tightly onto his cellphone that his knuckles turned white, and his cellphone looked dangerously close to breaking into pieces in his grasp. Atobe listened for a few moments to what Riku had to say before he paled and closed his eyes briefly before opening them again. "…I understand. We'll be right over. Have you informed her family yet?" Atobe nodded to himself. "Okay. I understand. We'll be right over."

And he ended his call.

"Atobe?" Sanada voiced out tentatively. Especially since Atobe looked like he was about to faint as he placed his cellphone back into his pocket, and he looked quite pale.

Atobe glanced at the Rikkaidai team and said one sentence that nearly sent the Rikkaidai team into a panic attack, and nearly sent Marui into cardiac arrest, and Yukimura looked as if he was ready to faint.

"Rika's in the hospital."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Morita Hospital  
__Tokyo District_

Half-an-hour later, the tennis team of Rikkaidai High arrived at Morita Hospital, courtesy of Atobe, and was immediately directed to the Accident and Emergency department of the hospital which Yukimura knew the way towards and led his team, along with Atobe and Kabaji towards. The blue haired teen was hospitalised for nearly an entire year during his sophomore year of middle school for Guillain-Barre Syndrome in this very hospital after all.

The tennis team of Rikkaidai Fuzoku were all gathered outside the operating room where the doctors were now operating on Rika in order to save her life, and the lot of them were all unusually silent, all still in their school uniforms. Kirihara was pacing up and down, his hands in his pockets, his eyes seeming as if he was off in a different world.

Shuu and Ryou were sitting side-by-side in chairs next to the vending machine. The former was looking from his watch to the doors of the operating room, then to the red light which said 'Operation' above the doors of the operating room and back again. Ryou was miraculously wide awake for once, and was twiddling his thumbs together nervously, an anxious look in his eyes as he bent over his knees, his elbows resting on his knees.

The twins were huddled together by the wall just next to the operating room, taking comfort in each other's presence. Kevin looked rather distraught as he was leaning against the wall next to the vending machine, not taking his eyes off the doors of the operating room. Haruki was next to Kevin, trying to comfort him, but he'll probably be better off comforting a wall as Kevin seemed as if he didn't hear a single word that Haruki had said.

As for Takahiro, anyone would have mistaken him as a statue of some sort as he was standing so still, with his facial expression not changing in the slightest as he sat still in his seat two chairs away from Shuu. Riku was seated in a chair beside Takahiro, glancing at the doors of the operating room anxiously every now and then, twiddling his thumbs together.

"Haruki! Riku! How is she?" Marui asked as they arrived at the hallway of the operating room.

Riku glanced at Marui before sighing a little before looking in the direction of the operating room. Haruki who was quite possibly the only one who still had his senses and wits about with him in the tennis team of Rikkaidai Fuzoku who was familiar with the seniors looked up before answering, jerking a thumb towards the direction of the operating room.

"She's still inside," said Haruki wearily. "It's already been two hours. I heard from Riku that she was crushed by the van, but they managed to get help to her before it's too late."

"No…" Marui paled. He then blinked as he noticed someone missing and looked left and right before turning towards Riku. "Riku, where's Sora?"

Riku looked at Marui, a worried look on his face before he answered. "He's on the other side of the A&E department," he said before sighing. "His cousin was the other accident victim. Shinderui Shiki of Seishun Gakuen."

Atobe's eyes widened in shock. "Shinderui?!" he said, incredulous. "What is he doing in Kanagawa?! Isn't he supposed to be in school?!"

Riku shrugged. "I have no idea," he said. "Apparently, he was looking for Rika." He sighed. "I've contacted Seigaku about this, but I think only Momoshiro-san and Kaidoh-san are here as they don't want to alarm the rest of their team. Sora is over with them now. I think that Shiki's older brother is here as well since his parents aren't in Japan now."

"Speaking of that…what about Rika's family?" asked Marui, glancing around only to see that he didn't see Ryoga or her parents. "Didn't you inform them?"

"I did," said Riku, glancing at Marui. "I called her cousin who told her brother. They didn't want to alarm Rika's parents, so only the two of them are told. They're on their way here, and Ryoga-san even skipped the rest of his classes at college today."

A sudden movement caused the older teens to look up only to see Takahiro walking past them to who-knows-where, an unreadable expression on his face with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"Takahiro? Where are you going?" Riku called after him. "Takahiro!"

But they were interrupted in the form of a certain angry brother just then with the name of Echizen Ryoga.

"_Yukimura!" _Ryoga nearly roared as he appeared from out of nowhere, scaring everyone shitless. "WHAT DID YOU DO??!!!"

**

* * *

**_Hospital Rooftop  
__Morita Hospital_

Takahiro stood at the fence which surrounded the rooftop of the hospital, his hands stuffed in his pockets as he let the wind whistle through his air, seeing nothing at all. He must have been standing there for close to an hour or two by now, and not a single person in his team had came to look for him which he was glad for as he wanted and needed to be alone right now.

'_God__… I'm the lowest person in the world.' _Takahiro thought to himself, gripping the wire of the fence with one hand, leaning his forehead against the fence. _'If Rika didn't help me with my tendinitis, she wouldn't have fought with her boyfriend, and be involved in an accident. It's my fault!'_

"Sempai?"

Takahiro turned only to see Yukimura Seika behind him, staring at him with a curious expression, the girl still in her school uniform with her school bag slung across her chest. Takahiro blinked as he saw her. "Yukimura-chan? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in school now?"

"I took the rest of the day off." Seika answered. "Haruki-niisan told me what had happened, and I came here during lunch break at school." She stood next to Takahiro at the fence, giving him his needed personal space which Takahiro is grateful for. "Shiki-san is alright now. The doctors finished his operation about half-an-hour ago, and he's now in one of the hospital wards in the Surgery department. His brother is sitting in with him now with Momoshiro-san and Kaidoh-san. Shinderui-sempai came back, and is now with Satochi-sempai and the others."

"Then Rika…?"

"She's still in surgery." Seika answered.

Silence.

"It's my fault." Takahiro said suddenly, and Seika turned towards him. "If only I didn't… Then Rika wouldn't have…she wouldn't have…"

"Sempai…you like Rika-sempai, don't you?" said Seika suddenly.

There was silence for a few moments before Takahiro nodded slowly. "Yeah," he said. "But I knew that it's merely a one-sided love on my part. Her heart belongs with your brother. I also have no intention to fight him for her. I would never dream of stealing someone else's girlfriend. I have better honour than that! Besides, there's only Yukimura-sempai in her heart."

Seika smiled to herself before looking in the distance. "You're not the only one," she said, and Takahiro turned towards the blue haired girl with a raised eyebrow. She sighed. "Lots of people like Rika-sempai. Even me, Yuri-chan, Haruki-niisan and lots of people. She's nice, kind, generous, pretty, and she's good in tennis. Everyone likes her. And lots of people are attracted to her. Probably it's her nature and personality which attracted my brother to her. I liked Rika-sempai from the first moment that I'd met her when she's still a freshman in Rikkaidai Fuzoku." Seika sighed before turning towards Takahiro. "Let's go, sempai. Rika-sempai should be out now."

"Y-Yeah."

**

* * *

**Takahiro and Seika returned to the others at the hallway of the operating room only to find that the doctor was already out of the operating room and almost seemed like he wished he was still in the operating room as Ryoga looked ready to tear the doctor apart, judging by the look on his face.

Takahiro blinked in confusion.

What is going on?

"You're a doctor, aren't you?" Ryoga demanded. "Can't you do something?!"

"Ryoga-san, calm down!" Nanako tried to calm Ryoga down by placing one hand on his shoulder. "Let the doctor finish what he's trying to say."

The doctor looked at Nanako gratefully before turning to the rest who were all crowding around him by this point in time. "We managed to staunch most of the internal bleeding as well as stitch up all the external wounds," he said. "But, Rika-kun was crushed by the van during that accident, and took most of the impact when the van crashed into her. As a result, several glass particles and glass shards were currently embedded in the blood vessels and muscles of her left hand. We removed most of the glass shards, but there were still several left in her left hand that we couldn't remove as it's too tiny, and there were several tiny glass particles left in her left hand as well. And as a result of the glass shards being embedded in her hand, several of the muscle ligaments and blood vessels of her left hand is severely damaged as well."

There was silence.

"Is there no chance to help her?" Atobe asked as last.

The doctor shook his head. "It's not that there's no chance," he said. "We have to attempt a laser operation in order to remove the glass particles embedded in the muscles and blood vessels of her left hand as well as repair the damage done to the muscles and blood vessels. But the success rate of the operation is only at fifty percent. If the operation fails…" The doctor took in a deep breath before continuing again. "If the operation fails…then I'm afraid that Rika-kun won't be able to play tennis ever again."

**

* * *

**_Half-an-Hour Later  
__Rika's Hospital Room_

"It's the same for my cousin as well," said Sora as he opened his can of soda with a light pop, being outside the hospital room in the Surgery department of the hospital which Rika is in, with her brother, cousin and Yukimura being inside with her right now. "An internal injury. But in his case, it's only the ligaments and blood vessels of his left hand which are severely damaged. It's nothing that an operation can't fix, but the success rate…is only at fifty percent because it's a laser operation." Sora sighed. "If it fails…he'll not only lose the use of his dominant hand – his left hand – but his life as a tennis player will also be over."

Riku sighed. "What did your cousin say about that?" he asked. "Will he go for the operation?"

Sora shrugged, chucking the empty soda can into the nearby trashcan. "You know Shiki," he said. "He _will _go through with the operation, no matter what the risks are. Tennis is his life. But the earliest that he can go through with the operation is about a month from now. If Rika ever decides to go through with the operation as well, it'll also be about a month before she can go through with it."

Riku sighed. "Why must this happen right now?" he asked.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Two Hours Later  
__Morita Hospital_

"I don't want to listen to your lies!"

"Calm down! You'll aggravate your injury!"

"Do you still care about me?! Why don't you go and find that girl, whoever she is!"

CRASH!

From outside the hospital room, the tennis regulars from both Rikkaidai High and Rikkaidai Fuzoku winced as the anaesthetic used on Rika during the emergency operation earlier had worn off about half-an-hour earlier, and the moment that her cousins and brother had told her about her current condition and the risks of the operation after her teammates have spoken to her, Yukimura had walked in, and she had flown into a temper.

As a result, all the tennis players of Rikkaidai Fuzoku and Rikkaidai High as well as Atobe have all wisely decided to leave the two alone for now as they ironed out their own problems, and Marui sighed before praying for Yukimura as he had firsthand experience how scary Rika could be when she's mad.

Both Shiki and Rika currently have their left arms in slings to minimize further damage to it, but it sure didn't manage to stop Rika from hurling kami-knows-what at Yukimura which crashed against the closed hospital room door.

Jackal blinked before turning towards his doubles partner. "Shouldn't we stop them?" he asked.

Marui sighed. "No thank you," he said. "I rather like how my head is now, thank you very much."

Inside the hospital room, Rika was panting heavily, her left arm in a sling with her forehead bandaged as well, her right hand gripping onto a digital alarm clock left on the bedside table, ready to hurl it at her boyfriend next.

"Just give me five minutes to explain!" Yukimura said hastily. "I _swear_ that I didn't know that girl! She suddenly forced herself on me in the hallway of the school earlier, and I was trying to push her away. I only managed to do that the moment that _you left the hallway."_

Rika panted heavily, looking at Yukimura suspiciously. "Is that the truth?"

Yukimura raised both hands in self-surrender. "I swear it," he said solemnly. He then sighed. "I'm sorry. I really shouldn't have doubted you and Tanaka. He explained things to me earlier." Rika's eyebrow rose just then, wondering if Takahiro had told Yukimura about his tendinitis. "He told me that you've been helping him because of a sports injury that he had incurred some time back, and he's extremely sorry that we've argued so often recently because of him."

"More like it's because of your childish delusions." Rika snorted, and Yukimura smiled to himself, knowing that Rika had forgiven him as she didn't sound so angry now, and she wasn't throwing anything at him.

"So am I forgiven?"

Rika snorted. "Like I can stay angry at you for long," she muttered. She then turned towards Yukimura, a glint in her eye which made him gulp. "But I want you to take me to that new theme park that's just opened in Hokkaido once I'm discharged from the hospital!"

Yukimura smiled and nodded. "Anything for you," he said.

Rika sighed before she looked at Yukimura. "Can you get Takahiro in? I need to have a word with him alone."

Yukimura frowned but nodded before leaving the hospital room. A few minutes later, Takahiro entered the hospital room, and Rika sighed before sitting back on the hospital bed. The dark haired girl had always knew that Takahiro had liked her in the romantic sense, but she had pretended to be oblivious to it as she didn't want to ruin their friendship as well as put some ideas into her boyfriend's head. But now…she can't pretend that everything is fine and dandy.

Takahiro sighed to himself as he took a seat in the visitor's chair. He knew what this is about now. "Rika, I…"

"I know," said Rika, interrupting him. "I know about your feelings for some time now. I understand that, but unfortunately, my heart belongs to Seiichi. That's why…I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise," said Takahiro, trying to smile but failed miserably. "I understand. It's impossible from the beginning."

Rika looked at Takahiro and studied him for a long time before she spoke again. "You know, a long time ago, when I was still in America, Kevin fell for a girl named Yuki," she said, the corners of her lips tilting slightly. "Yuki was our best friend, and we grew up together. But like you now, Yuki fell for another guy. And of all the guys in the world, she just _had _to fall for a guy who is the heir to one of the largest mafia families in America. Their relationship didn't amount to anything much, but still, they stayed as friends. But not long after that, Yuki died. Kevin and myself were both upset, but Kevin was much more upset than myself as he was heartbroken too. Because until the end, Yuki never thought of him as anything more than a friend. You're just like him back then." Rika sighed before smiling. "But nearly two years after Yuki had died, Kevin had finally found someone for him…" She rolled her eyes in annoyance at this point in time. "If he can just stop being such a coward and go and ask her out. You too."

Takahiro blinked. Was he missing something here?

"Huh?"

Rika sighed in frustration, resisting the urge to palm her face with her uninjured right hand. Not another one! "Takahiro, please don't tell me that you didn't know?" she said slowly as if she was speaking to someone mentally challenged or mentally retarded.

Takahiro blinked. "Know what?"

Rika nearly groaned. Why her?

"Takahiro, don't tell me that you didn't feel anything for Seika-chan at all?"

Takahiro blinked. "Huh? Yukimura-chan?" he echoed, and Rika nodded.

"Everyone in the team knew about it," said Rika. "I think that even the whole school knows. They knew that Seika-chan likes you. I know that you feel something for her as well." She eyed Takahiro. "Go and iron out your feelings and face up to it." She smiled slightly. "Takahiro, if our friendship means anything to you, go and think about what I've just said."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Two Weeks Later  
__Kanagawa District_

Two weeks later can find Satochi Riku in the town area of the Kanagawa district.

It had been two weeks ever since the accident, and the media had a field day when they found out that Rika and Shiki were both involved in an accident especially since both of them were pretty well-known in the middle school tennis circuit, and even the top pros have their eyes on them.

After some discussion with her parents and brother, Rika had decided to go for the operation as there was still a fifty percent chance of success. As long as there is still a one percent chance of success, she's going to take it. But even still, she still has to wait for a month before she can go through with the operation.

Shiki and Rika have both been spending most of their time together during their hospital stay as the two were good friends in a way, and during the times when their teammates, family and friends weren't visiting them, they often spent their time playing shougi or chess.

Shiki was worried about his team, but Kaidoh had assured him that himself and Momoshiro will take care of the team, and Kenneth was strangely quiet ever since the accident. The morale of the team didn't drop at all even with their captain's accident. In fact, it seemed to have the effect to make them train even harder because of their captain's absence. Rikkaidai was the same way as well. All the members of the tennis team threw themselves into training and seemed to be trying to work themselves to exhaustion.

That day was the day of the semi-finals of the Kantou tournament. Sora had gone to Rikkaidai's match as part of his duties from the photography club as Rikkaidai was facing Fudomine…again.

Riku couldn't afford the time to go and watch the match that day as he had to go and get the new music violin pieces for his upcoming competition in about two weeks' time which he'd been practicing several different music pieces for the past few months.

As Riku was browsing through the music rack for the violin pieces in the music shop, he paused as he came across a particular music sheet and picked it up only to see that it read 'The Four Seasons' in cursive writing across the cover. Riku then paused and recalled what Rika had said so long ago just after the Kanagawa Prefecture tournament when he had gotten her help to assist him in picking out some new violin pieces for his competition.

"_Why don't you play The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi? That's one of my favourites among the violin pieces, and from what I've heard, it's not easy to play as well."_

Riku smiled before making up his mind and picking out the three violin pieces which he'll be playing at the competition in two weeks' time. Hours later, back at his home, Riku filled in his entries for his selected violin pieces, and on the last column for his final song piece, Riku wrote in, 'The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi.'

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Meanwhile, in an area of the arena tennis park where Seigaku had just finished their match against Jyousei Shounan in the semi-finals of the Kantou tournament, the Seigaku team was currently standing in front of the board on which was written the names of the last two remaining schools which will go to the finals and face each other in a match.

Momoshiro and Kaidoh both seemed to have been suddenly turned into statues, and the rest of the team wondered why before looking at the name of the school of their next opponent, and Kachiro gaped, paling instantly.

"Ah."

"Oh dear." Some random third year regular in the team sighed.

The rest of the team looked on in silence before exchanging looks, and all of them sighed as one save for a certain player, and Katsuo sighed, rubbing his forehead as if he was trying to iron it, looking at the rest of the regulars in Seigaku's tennis team.

"We need the captain's help and advice," he stated.

Kachiro agreed. "Definitely."

A red line had connected the names of the two schools that had made it to the finals of the Kantou tournament together – Seishun Gakuen versus _Rikkaidai Fuzoku._

Kaidoh hissed like a deflating balloon, only one thought in his head.

'_Talk about déjà vu. Definitely seems like a repeat of last year's Kantou tournament.'_

Throughout all these, no one in Seigaku noticed the odd glint in one Kenneth Smith's eye as he clenched his hands into fists by his sides, not taking his eyes off the word of 'Rikkaidai Fuzoku' on the board.

'_Soon, little brother. Soon, we'll be facing each other in a match, and we'll be able to see just who is the stronger between us both. And this time__…no one will be able to stop the match.'_

* * *

_A/N: One of my longest chapters yet! And I would like to ask the opinions of my readers. I am thinking of making a site of 'Fanfiction Awards' which basically list the best fanfiction stories of each genre (romance/comedy/adventure) of each category (Naruto/Prince of Tennis/Black Cat). I got the idea from the 'Twilight Fanfiction Awards'. What do you think about a site like that?_

_Anyway, I hope that you like this chapter and please read and review!_

_**Upcoming Stories:**_

_**Fallen Seraphim (Prince of Tennis)**_

_FemRyo. No one at Phoenix Star Academy really expect much when they were sent to a tennis camp until they found a severely injured girl during the second week of camp who seemed to have something to hide. Little did anyone expect that this girl turns out to be an angel__…__and the boys were soon dragged into the war between Heaven and Hell. Yukimura/FemRyo_

_**Ninja Legacy (Naruto)**_

_FemNaru. When the war between the Akatsuki and Konoha tore the entire elemental nation apart, the kages of Suna, Kumo and Konoha gave the Jinchuurikis from their individual villages one final task: protect the Forbidden Scrolls and their villages' secrets. Now in the year 2007, fights between the ninjas are taking place once again, and Namikaze Shiki, Sabaku no Gaara and Nii Yugito must once again take up arms and fight to defend the world__…__or risk it disappearing. Naruto/Nabari no Ou crossover. Raiko/FemNaru_

_**Jinchuuriki Legacy (Naruto)**_

_AU FemNaru. What if Namikaze Shiki wasn't as naive or simple-minded like how everyone thinks? What if she's really an ANBU agent under the direct command of the Hokage? Gathering together the Jinchuurikis and working in the shadows for an unknown purpose, what is her goal? Semi-dark fic._

_**Soprano of the Ballad (Naruto)**_

_AU FemNaru. Konoha Academy is the most prestigious school for music, literary and drama in Japan, and Namikaze Shiki and her friends were students there. In their world where ideals are renounced, Shiki preferred to believe that true love didn't exist at all. That is, until she met one Uchiha Itachi. Itachi/FemNaru_

_**The Final Hope (Naruto)**_

_AU FemNaru modern fic. The country is currently at war, and Namikaze Shiki was currently one of the war doctors at the army camp with several of her friends from the same medic school that they've gone to. But a deadly virus had been going around, killing those infected within 36 hours, and Shiki had been asked to lead an investigation into this virus__…_

_**Legion of Darkness (Naruto)**_

_AU FemNaru. The __Jinchuuriki __are spoken about only in legends. People with special abilities which sets them apart from others and which gives them the power to bend the universe itself. When demons started infesting the land and Uchiha Itachi, a mercenary for hire was told to meet up with his brother who was protecting a princess from one of the lands, a partner was sent to back him up, and said partner turned out to be one of the Jinchuuriki__…_ _Itachi/FemNaru_


	41. Seigaku versus Rikkaidai! Fight!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Forty One: Seigaku versus Rikkaidai! Fight!**

_My friend, do you fly away now?  
__To a world that abhors you and I?  
__All that awaits you is a sombre morrow  
__No matter where the winds may blow_

_My friend, your desire  
__Is the bringer of life, the gift of the goddess  
__Even if the morrow is barren of promises  
__Nothing shall forestall my return  
__- Loveless, Act III_

**

* * *

**_Morita Hospital  
__Tokyo District_

Three days before the finals of the Kantou tournament between Rikkaidai and Seigaku can find the vice-captain and captain of those two schools respectively on the rooftop of the hospital, being seated on the bench with a shougi set in between them both.

There was a slight creak just then, and both looked up from their shougi game only to see the door of the rooftop swinging open, and Riku, Sora and Seika walked through the doorway, all still dressed in their school uniforms.

Shiki smiled to himself before packing up the shougi set with one hand and stood up from the bench. "Well, seems like we'll have to continue our game at a later date," he said. "I'll see you later, Rika."

Rika nodded as Shiki walked past Riku, Sora and Seika, acknowledging them with a nod and a slight smile, one which the three fully returned before the three walked towards Rika's direction.

"So, how are things doing?" asked Riku. "The tennis team have a short training session scheduled, and they said that they'll come over later."

"I'm doing fine," said Rika. "Well, unless you count being only able to use one hand as a bit of a hassle, otherwise, I'm doing fine." She gestured towards her left arm which is in a sling to minimize further damage to the injury. She then sighed a little. "The operation day had already been scheduled. It'll be three days from now…on the day of the finals of the Kantou tournament. Shiki's operation is also on the same day."

Riku smiled slightly. "I see," he said. "That's good, isn't it? I mean, I can't see anyone liking to stay in the hospital for long." He then sighed. "I have a violin competition on the day of the Kantou finals though, so I won't be able to be in the hospital during your operation."

"Don't worry about it, Riku," said Rika. "Go and play. Win the competition. Don't give it up just because of my operation."

Riku didn't say anything, but Sora and Seika knew what is worrying the usually composed and well-mannered silver haired teen. The operation that Rika is scheduled for only had a success rate of fifty percent. If it fails, she'll not only lose the use of her dominant hand – her left hand – but her life as a tennis player will also be over.

"I'll stay with Rika during the operation, Riku," said Sora. "So you can rest your mind."

Riku blinked at his best friend. "But don't you have to stay with your cousin?" he asked, confused. "I mean, Shiki is having his operation on the same day that Rika is having hers, right? Don't you have to stay with him?"

"Shirai-niisan will be staying with Shiki during his operation," said Sora. "So he'll be just fine. I'll be able to stay with Rika on the day of the operation."

"I'll go and cheer Riku-sempai on then," said Seika. "With any luck, I believe that the tennis team should be able to finish their matches before your operation."

"I wonder…" said Rika with a smile. "You shouldn't underestimate Seigaku, Seika-chan. They're good…good enough to actually face us in last year's Kantou finals as well as the finals of the National tournament and actually came close to beating us. As far as I know, they're the only school out there who can actually accomplish such a feat."

The door to the rooftop of the hospital swung opened with a creak just then, and all four turned around to see the regulars of Rikkaidai's tennis team walking through the doorway to the rooftop, all dressed in their school uniforms.

"There she is," said Hikaru with a smile. "Rika!"

"Well, we'll make a move first," said Riku, standing up. "We'll come again tomorrow, Rika."

Rika nodded before the four left the rooftop and the rest of the team soon filled in. "So, how are things?" she asked with concern before Haruki grinned and made the peace sign.

"Everything is alright!" he said with a grin. "Everything is going fine, and you don't have to worry about the match against Seigaku. Just rest easy and go for your operation."

"About that, I'm going through with the operation. It's already been decided, and the date of the operation had already been set."

"I see…" said Shuu. "When is it?"

"On the day of the Kantou finals." Rika answered. "I won't be able to attend the match, I'm afraid." She smiled. "Well, it's not like the doctor will actually let me out of the hospital to attend the match even if I'm not scheduled for an operation that day anyway."

"Don't worry about it," said Kevin. "We'll finish the match before your operation."

Rika smiled and shook her head. "Just don't underestimate Seigaku," she said warningly. "You know how good they are. If you underestimate them, you'll be in for a world of pain…in your pride." The entire team sweat dropped. Rika laughed before turning serious. "Besides, I think Shiki's operation is on the same day as mine as well."

"I see," said Kirihara, nodding. "Don't worry about the team. Training is going well. And the non-regulars were training non-stop as well. We'll win the match against Seigaku."

"I know," said Rika with a nod. "I'm not worried about that." She smiled. "Aim for the top."

The team nodded and smiled. "Yeah!"

"Get well soon," said Hikari. "Let's play tennis against sometime soon."

"Really… Riku and Sora nearly gave us all heart attacks when they told us that you were in an accident," said Takahiro, rolling his eyes. "Thank kami that nothing serious really happened…"

"Unless you count not being able to use my left hand AND play tennis for nearly a month 'nothing', then yes, I'm pleased to say that nothing serious actually happened," said Rika sourly, indicating towards her left arm, and everyone laughed.

Ryou stood up just then, his hand stuffed into his pockets. "Well, I have to make a move," he said. "My mother is expecting me back for dinner soon."

"Look at the time!" Kevin said, glancing at his watch. "We should all go. Rika, we'll come again tomorrow."

Rika nodded as the rest of the team left, but she glanced at Kirihara, a hidden message in her eyes, and the curly-haired teen waited until the rest of his team dispersed before sighing and speaking. "What is it?"

Rika sighed.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Three Days Later  
__Kantou Regional Finals_

The entire regular team of Rikkaidai Fuzoku's tennis team were all gathered near the registration booth, looking towards Seigaku's initial direction. Ryoga was absent which isn't too surprising as his sister was having an operation that day, and all members of Seigaku save for one had an unusually grim expression on their faces that day.

"Seigaku again, huh?" Hikaru muttered, his arms folded across his chest, his fingers tapping against the side of his arm.

"I wonder who we'll be facing today," mused Hikari. "Buchou was saying something about changing the match line-ups a little yesterday because of the fukubuchou's absence, didn't he?"

"Well, no matter who we'll be facing, the result will be the same anyway," said Takahiro calmly.

There was a message tone from Kirihara's cellphone just then, and the Rikkaidai captain pulled out his phone from his pocket and flipped it opened before seeing the name of the sender, and he smiled a little to himself before looking around at the rest of his team. "It's a message from Rika," he said.

"The fukubuchou?" said Ryou in interest, perking up immediately when just a moment ago, he looked half asleep on his feet. "What did she say?"

The rest of the team crowded around Kirihara as he opened the message from Rika, and it said: _'Aim for the top.'_

Kirihara grinned, and the rest of the team exchanged smirks. "'Aim for the top', huh?" said Kirihara. "Sounds just like her. Even without our number one player…Rikkaidai won't lose."

Haruki placed one finger on his chin as he glanced towards Seigaku's side who seemed to be holding some sort of strategic meeting. "Seigaku is missing their captain as well," he said. "I think he's scheduled for an operation today as well, isn't he?"

"Yeah," said Shuu, nodding. "He was involved in the same accident as the fukubuchou. And without him, the only people of annoyance in Seigaku is their vice-captain, Kaidoh Kaoru, as well as Momoshiro Takeshi and…" He trailed off as he glanced at Kevin who had a stone-like expression on his face and sighed silently. "…Kenneth Smith."

Kevin didn't say anything, but merely glanced into his twin's initial direction.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Concert Hall  
__Tokyo District_

The seats of the concert hall in the Tokyo district was getting filled up slowly as many music critics as well as composers and music lovers filled into the concert hall. And in the front row of the seats were seated the judges of this particular music concert.

This particular music concert isn't any ordinary concert. The winners of each category of that day's music competition – violin, piano, singing and flute – would win a scholarship to the best and most prestigious music academy of the world the moment that they're ready to enter college, and also be named the Music Maestro.

Seika was already somewhere in the seats as Riku was backstage, checking and re-checking the strings of his violin. He was already dressed in his tuxedo, and was waiting for the announcers to announce his turn to appear on stage as the violinists would go first before being followed by the pianists, then the flute section, before the singers would finish off the last round of the concert.

"_Next is Satochi Riku-kun from Kanagawa's Rikkaidai Fuzoku. He would be presenting us with the following music pieces: The Devil's Trill, Canon in D Major and The Four Seasons: Winter."_

There was a round of applause just then before Riku stepped out onto the stage where a spotlight was shone on him, and Riku bowed politely to the audience like how he'd been taught, and he caught Seika's face somewhere in the sea of the audience before placing his violin to his chin and playing the first piece…

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Kantou Regional Finals_

"_We will now begin the Kantou Regional finals between Kanagawa's Rikkaidai Fuzoku and Tokyo's Seishun Gakuen."_

The tennis regulars of both Rikkaidai Fuzoku and Seishun Gakuen were both heading back to their individual bleachers after exchanging the usual customary handshake between Kaidoh and Kirihara, with Seigaku's coach taking the position of bench coach for Seigaku, and Kirihara taking the place as bench coach for Rikkaidai.

Like the previous year, the stands were also filled with several people – most whom were former opponents of the two schools from the time of the Prefecture tournament to the present. Fudomine were also present, all in casual clothing. And so were Hyotei and Jyousei. Several high school students were also present at this particular match, most probably scouting for any possible future players for the tennis teams of their school.

"It's finally the Kantou finals," said Shiba Saori, clicking away on her camera.

Inoue Mamoru nodded solemnly. "The atmosphere is pretty tense…like always," he said. "The victors of this match are pretty unpredictable, but the favourite team to win this tournament is Rikkaidai Fuzoku." He paused, glancing from Rikkaidai to Seigaku and back again. "It seems to be a repeat of last year's Kantou finals. Seishun Gakuen's captain, Shinderui Shiki. And Rikkaidai Fuzoku's vice-captain, Echizen Rika. It's a match where both schools are missing their top players. And even though Rikkaidai is missing their number one player, they're still invincible."

**

* * *

**"_Always win, Rikkaidai!"_

"_Let's go! Let's go! Rikkaidai!"_

From his place as bench coach, Kirihara glanced at Seigaku's tennis team before looking at the match line-ups form in his hand which read:

_Doubles 2: Fuuma Hikari and Fuuma Hikaru_

_Doubles 1: Takeda Ryou and Takuga Shuu_

_Singles 3: Tanaka Takahiro_

_Singles 2: Yukimura Haruki_

_Singles 1: Kevin Smith_

As Kirihara stared at the match line-ups, he thought back to what he and Rika had discussed in the hospital three days ago during his visit…

**

* * *

**_Flashback Starts:_

"This year's Kantou finals…as expected, we're facing Seigaku again," said Rika. "Shiki was saying something about his team all being on pins and needles about this match."

"Well, you can't deny that it'll be quite risky this year," said Kirihara reasonably. "With you and Shinderui both in the hospital, both our teams are missing their top players. But still, it won't be an easy battle, that's for sure. That Shinderui…he isn't called a genius for nothing. He's sure to put together a team that surpasses last year's Seigaku's strength."

"Yeah," said Rika, nodding her head. "That's why… The match line-ups for the team for the Kantou finals…" She turned towards Kirihara. "Who will the members be?"

"Huh?" Kirihara blinked. "Well…Kevin wanted revenge against his brother, thus, I'm going to put him in singles one. Haruki is in singles two. The twins are playing in doubles two as usual, and Shuu and Ryou are in doubles one. I was thinking of playing in singles three myself since Kevin will be taking your singles one spot in the finals instead of his usual singles three spot. And it's been awhile since Haruki had played, and he _is _one of our best players, and not to mention Takahiro's injury…that's why I will most probably be putting Takahiro on reserve for the finals."

"I see…" said Rika, closing her eyes before opening them again. "Singles three…let Takahiro have that spot."

"Huh?"

"It's true that Shiki won't be in singles one for Seigaku," said Rika. "If that is so, then Seigaku's number two will have that spot…Kevin's twin. Kaidoh-san and Momoshiro-san are two of Seigaku's veteran players, and since doubles play is Seigaku's weak spot, those two will most probably be playing in doubles since they're always in doubles whenever they played against us in an official tournament. As such, even if Seigaku doesn't like it, without Shiki, they're down one player, and as such, they have no choice but to put Kenneth in the match. And if I know Kaidoh-san and Momoshiro-san like I do, if they want to have as less a chance as possible to prevent Kenneth from playing, they'll most likely put him in singles one. Logically speaking, you're not Kenneth's match just yet…psychologically wise, especially since you yourself knew for a fact that you feared his tennis as it's so much like _your _old tennis style in the past, and you know it."

"You don't have to say it out loud." Kirihara mumbled.

"As for Takahiro…I am aware about his injury," said Rika. "Give him one last chance to play before he goes for his operation after the Kantou finals. He's one of our best players, that's for sure, but until now, other than the both of us, Kevin and Haruki, no one has been able to make him play seriously. And if I know Shiki, he'll put one of the strongest players in his team in singles three should be predict that Seigaku will most likely lose both doubles – the strongest player in the team after himself, Kenneth, Kaidoh-san and Momoshiro-san. And if it is that player that we think would be in singles three, he'll be the most troublesome opponent that Takahiro can get at present. His style of tennis is extremely unpredictable as he played the same style of tennis as Seika-chan – Sporty Tennis. We've seen the videos. Only people with the same ability that Niou-sempai and I have could deal with him. However, unlike us, Takahiro is a strategist type of player. If he can defeat his opponent, he'll grow stronger. I want you to put him in singles three."

Kirihara sighed and scratched his head. "You do realise that it might cost us the finals?" he asked his vice-captain seriously.

Rika nodded. "I do," she said. "But I'm willing to take a gamble. You know as well as I do that apart from ourselves and Kevin, the rest of the team isn't at National level standard yet. Maybe Takahiro and Haruki are, but not the rest. If we want to fulfill our dream of making it to the finals of the Nationals and winning the championship once more, we have to take this gamble. Whether we win or lose, it'll make the team grow stronger. It's worth it. But we have to make all those who weren't in the team last year play in this match against Seigaku. We played against them last year during the Kantou finals as well as the finals during the Nationals. You know how strong that they are. It's the best way to bring out their full potential and to make them grow stronger." She smiled. "Sorry. But it looks like you'll be sitting out this match."

Kirihara sighed, but nodded. "I understand," he said. "I'll amend the match line-ups once I return. I highly doubt that we'll actually make it to singles one though. We'll end the match in time for your operation, and we'll hand you the medal before you'll enter the operating room."

Rika smiled. "I wonder about that…" she said. She then turned serious. "Just don't underestimate them."

Kirihara smirked. "Hai."

_Flashback Ends:_

**

* * *

**"_We will now begin the first match of doubles two! Kanagawa's Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Fuuma Hikari and Fuuma Hikaru pair versus Tokyo's Seishun Gakuen's Kaidoh Kaoru and Momoshiro Takeshi! All players, please enter the court!"_

"It's finally starting," said Takahiro solemnly, his arms folded across his chest as he watched the twins unzip their jackets carefully before placing them onto the bleachers before picking up their tennis racquets and going towards Kirihara to listen to some last minute advice from the captain. "You can nearly feel the tense atmosphere in the air."

"Even I'm starting to get excited," said Haruki with a grin.

The rest of the team agreed with him…save for Ryou who was busy sleeping as usual. Shuu who was his best friend and doubles partner whenever they entered into matches as a doubles pair nearly groaned and resisted the urge to smack his forehead with exasperation.

Will there ever come a day when Takeda Ryou _don't _sleep during a match save for his own?! If he didn't know any better, he'll think that Ryou is related to Hyotei's Akutagawa Jiroh.

**

* * *

**Several miles away in the Tokyo district in the limousine of one Atobe Keigo who will be bringing his entire team to where the middle schools will be hosting the finals of the Kantou Regional tournament, Akutagawa Jiroh sneezed in his sleep.

**

* * *

**"Let's go, Hikari," said Hikaru with a grin, tightening his shoelaces whilst kneeling on one knee to the ground as his twin was examining the strings of his racquet to check for any loose strings. "Let's win this match."

"Okay," said his twin calmly as the two entered the court where Kaidoh and Momoshiro were waiting for them, a slight nervous look on the faces of the two Seigaku players which was unnoticeable by all save for the most observant.

Kirihara leant back into the bench that he was sitting on as he watched the four players exchanged the usual customary handshake before both sides tossed for sides and Seigaku got first service before all four players headed to their individual serving and receiving positions on the court.

'_It's finally starting.' _Kirihara thought before glancing at his watch to see that it read: 11:38am. _'If we can finish the entire match before three in the afternoon, we can just make it in time to Rika's operation.' _He glanced at the twins. _'I'm counting on you both.'_

* * *

_A/N: I apologise for this cliff-hanger. The doubles two match will be the next chapter. I won't be describing all the matches in detail. Only a few of the most important ones so that you guys will know their skills and techniques. _

_Anyway, I hope that you like this chapter, and please read and review!_

_**Upcoming Stories:**_

_**Full Moon (Prince of Tennis)**_

_Echizen Rika is the legendary assassin known as 'Hel', an unbeatable gunman and a ruthless assassin in a secret organisation that protects the peace and maintains the balance of power in the world from the shadows until she decided that she's had enough and decided to leave the organisation. Soon, a year later, she is attending school in the prestigious Phoenix Star Academy before members from her old organisation soon found out where she is, and then, her past soon started catching up with her. Yukimura/FemRyo_


	42. Rikkaidai's Trickster Twins

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Forty Two: Rikkaidai's Trickster Twins**

_My friend, the fates are cruel  
__There are no dreams, no honour remains  
__The arrow has left the bow of the goddess_

_My soul, corrupted by vengeance  
__Hath endured torment, to find the end of the journey  
__In my own salvation  
__And your eternal slumber_

_Legend shall speak  
__Of sacrifice at world's end  
__The winds sail over the water's surface  
__Quietly, but surely  
__- Loveless, Act IV_

**

* * *

**"_Always win, Rikkaidai!"_

"_Let's go! Let's go! Rikkaidai!"_

The cheers of the cheerleaders of Rikkaidai Fuzoku were nearly deafening everyone present in the stands as the four players for the first match of doubles two were currently facing each other on the courts, ready to toss for sides as well as to exchange the usual customary handshake before each match.

Hikaru smirked as he exchanged a handshake with Momoshiro with his racquet resting against his shoulder whilst his calmer and more practical-minded twin was exchanging a handshake with Seigaku's vice-captain. "Please go easy on us," he said.

Momoshiro didn't say anything but frowned, studying his opponents. From what data that their tennis manager could gather, Fuuma Hikari and Fuuma Hikaru are twins, and the two players make up one of Rikkaidai Fuzoku's best doubles combinations. And like nearly every single one of Rikkaidai's players save for the current Rikkaidai captain – Kirihara Akaya – as well as their vice-captain and Kevin Smith, the skills and abilities of the other Rikkaidai regulars were generally left unknown.

Sides were soon tossed for, and Seigaku got first service. Hikari and Hikaru then turned away from them, heading to their respective positions on the court before Momoshiro stopped them, a frown on his face. "I'm sorry," said the third year power player, eyeing the twins carefully. "But I'm going to have to ask the two of you to do something." The twins turned their attention towards him. "Remove your power weights."

Hikaru smirked. "If you can, _make_ us do it," he said.

"_One set match! Seigaku's Momoshiro to serve!"_

"It's finally starting," said Takahiro grimly, and the rest of the team nodded.

"We can see how good the twins are after months of training," said Shuu, his ever trusty notebook in one hand with a pen in the other. "And it's probably best if they can finish their match as soon as possible."

"It might be a little difficult for them with those two as their opponents," remarked Kevin as he turned his attention towards the Seigaku pair currently on the courts.

Kaidoh was a little hunched over, hissing his trademark snake-like hiss, both hands holding onto his racquet whilst Momoshiro was getting ready to serve, a visible tick on his head as this was just like déjà vu from the Kantou finals match between Rikkaidai and Seigaku last year when he was facing Marui Bunta and Kuwahara Jackal – the predecessors of the two that he is currently facing.

'_Talk about déjà vu,' _thought Momoshiro as he bounced the tennis ball several times onto the court, getting ready to serve. _'They're just like their sempais. "Make us do it__…" I'll __**force **__you to take off your power weights before the first game is out!'_

And he served.

"It's fast!"

Shuu frowned slightly as he saw Hikari who was at the front ran to receive Momoshiro's Bullet Serve. "It's faster than last year," he remarked, and Kirihara nodded.

"It's here! Momoshiro-sempai's Bullet Serve!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Game! Seigaku's Momoshiro-Kaidoh pair! 1-0!"

Hikari and Hikaru exchanged glances as Momoshiro and Kaidoh smacked their hands together, and the people gathered at the Seigaku stands were screaming themselves hoarse. Kirihara smirked to himself as the players changed courts.

"Idiots. They're celebrating too soon." Kirihara muttered to himself. "Like with Shuu and Ryou, if it's an opponent's first service, they'll lose the first game pretty quickly, but the winning percentage of the match is one hundred percent."

"What do you think?" asked Hikaru as Hikari gave his twin the ball for his service.

Hikari smiled. "No problem at all," he said. "But it seems like this isn't all that they're capable of." He glanced towards the direction of their two opponents. "It definitely seems like they do have a plan for a team that made it to the Kantou finals after all." He added.

Hikaru smirked. "It'll be very interesting then."

**

* * *

**The twins are now getting serious as it could be seen in their body postures and movements. Unlike the first game, their serves and returns are sharper and faster than before, and Momoshiro and Kaidoh are now having a little trouble receiving the shots.

There was a glint in Kaidoh's eye as he raced up to the ball which had entered the side court and used a Boomerang Snake. "Get in!"

The eyes of everyone present save for the Rikkaidai players widened in shock as Hikari was at the side court of Rikkaidai's side of the court before Kaidoh's Boomerang Snake even entered the court before returning it via a simple cross shot which entered Seigaku's court so quickly that Momoshiro who was nearer to the net had no time to react.

"15-0!"

"You're in for a world of pain if you underestimate Hikari," taunted Hikaru, and Kaidoh growled low in his throat to see his Boomerang Snake returned so easily.

Hikari smirked. "We're just returning your greetings," he said.

**

* * *

**Kevin whistled appreciatively.

"Hikari and Hikaru are playing better than before," he said, impressed. "Hikari had became faster, and Hikaru's shots have more power packed in them than before." He grinned. "Seems like the training is paying off."

**

* * *

**Over with Fudomine, Kamio Akira was rubbing his eyes as Hikari managed to get another shot past a shocked Momoshiro and Kaidoh, making the score 30-0 with Rikkaidai in the lead. Ann looked at Kamio with concern.

"What's wrong, Kamio-kun?" she asked.

"That Hikari guy…" said Kamio, rubbing his eyes. "His shots makes my eyes hurt. It's so fast that it's almost like a blur."

"Huh?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Hikari smiled before rushing up to the net in record speed just as Kaidoh was getting ready to receive the ball which Hikaru had just returned moments prior to the Seigaku court, and the Seigaku's vice-captain was stunned to see Hikari appear at the net so quickly that it almost looks like he had just teleported there.

"Are you related to a snake or something?" Hikari taunted as Kaidoh was also at the net, and the Seigaku vice-captain hissed in reply, and Hikari smirked, and the next moment, Kaidoh's eyes threatened to bulge out of his sockets, and he wasn't the only one as Hikari seemed to have moved so quickly that he's created after images of himself.

Not for nothing though, was Hikari known as the 'speed demon' in the Rikkaidai team as his speed is enough to compete with Rika and Takahiro, as well as Fudomine's Kamio. Kaidoh's eyes widened in shock.

'_What the-?'_

"Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Fuuma-Fuuma pair! 1-1!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Hikari kept his eyes fixated on Kaidoh and his footwork as the Seigaku vice-captain moved about the court, reading his movements.

_Left. Right. Left. Right. Left._

'_It's the right.' _Hikari thought, ready to move to receive the ball, but was taken aback when Kaidoh hissed, a faint hint of a smirk visible on his lips, and there was a shout from Momoshiro just then.

"Take this! Super Momoshiro Dunk Smash!"

And faster than even before Hikari could comprehend, the ball whizzed past Hikari and landed on the court, and the ball spun in it's spot for one second, two seconds, three seconds, and the ball was still spinning, gaining Seigaku one point.

"Game! Seigaku's Momoshiro-Kaidoh pair! 2-2!"

Hikari scowled inwardly to himself and Hikaru placed a hand on his twin's shoulder. "You're playing around too much, Hikari," said Hikaru.

**

* * *

**"As expected from one of Seigaku's top players," said Takahiro. "They're good."

"Yeah," agreed Shuu. "But it looks like the twins are finally getting serious." He grinned as he watched the twins walked quietly up to Kirihara, ignoring all the eyes fixed on them. "Seigaku is in big trouble now."

Kevin didn't say anything but smile. And Ryou…was sleeping.

Kirihara watched the twins carefully as each took gulps from their water dispensers to quench their thirst before slipping off their power wrists where it landed with a loud thud on the ground before doing the same with their ankle weights, and the two straightened up.

The twins exchanged smirks before walking back to the courts, and Kirihara frowned inwardly. _'Rika was right. Those two are some of Seigaku's best players if they can even force the twins to remove their power weights in a match against them when those two are two of our best doubles' players. The twins even gave Kevin and Rika trouble sometimes when they played in a doubles match against them. I can't believe that Kaidoh and Momoshiro can actually push them this far. But the result is clear now.'_

"So this is where you get serious," said Momoshiro with a grin.

"We've been serious right from the beginning," said Hikari, flexing his wrist before pointing a finger at Momoshiro. "We just didn't go all out from the beginning. But now that we've taken off our power weights, we can return your special moves with no problem, and you hadn't seen any of _ours_ yet."

"Well, let's see your special moves then," said Momoshiro with a grin.

The twins smirked, and Hikaru rested his racquet on his shoulder, turning around to head to his receiving position on the court before half-turning and facing the Seigaku pair, a smirk on his face.

"_Make _us use it," he said.

**

* * *

**It was Hikari's turn to serve, and he grinned inwardly as he looked at Kaidoh and Momoshiro on the court opposite them before tightening his grip on the ball before serving, and the ball became a blur and entered the court so quickly that Momoshiro and Kaidoh had no time to react at all, giving one point to Rikkaidai.

"15-0!"

"W-What was that?" Kaidoh gasped, half-turning his head to the back of the court where the ball was slowly rolling away. "D-Did the ball enter the court?"

Momoshiro was shocked as well, a bead of sweat sliding down his face as he stared at the slight dent made in the court where Hikari's ball had entered. "It did," he muttered. _'The ball was so fast that neither Kaidoh nor I saw it? What is this guy?!'_

Kaidoh didn't take his eyes off Hikari and the ball the entire time when Hikari served the second ball, and he barely saw the ball coming, but just managed to returned it with a short Snake which Hikaru was quick to react to by returning it with a short cross, and which Kaidoh took the chance to use his Hadoukyuu Boomerang, earning Seigaku one point.

Hikari frowned a little. "I admit that you're good," he said. "I shall let you see my specialised serve. Only our fukubuchou could return my serve, and she is the only person who can even see it coming."

'_What?'_

Momoshiro and Kaidoh frowned as they watched Hikari get ready to serve, and only Kaidoh noticed that Hikari's grip on his racquet was a little higher than before. Almost like in slow motion, Hikari threw the ball up into the air before his racquet impacted with it and…

…the ball disappeared.

'_Nani?!'_

Both Momoshiro and Kaidoh turned around in complete shock as they heard the telltale signs of a ball rolling away, and saw the tennis ball rolling towards the back of the court. The entire court was silent as well, especially Seigaku.

"W-What is that?!" Kamio stammered, his eyes wide in disbelief.

The entire court was silent with shock. Even Atobe and his team, and several of the former Rikkaidai regulars who were present at the match could not believe their eyes. No one even saw Hikari hitting the ball, yet it was already on the other side of the court without anyone knowing.

"Referee, aren't you going to call?" asked Hikari with a smirk on his lips, turning towards the person in question.

The referee blinked. "Er…M-Monitor! Get a close up!"

"H-Hai!" The man in charge of the monitor replied before rewinding the video and played the image of the shot that Hikari had served earlier in slow motion only to see that it's definitely in. "It's in…" He then raised his voice so that the referee and everyone in the court could hear him. "It's in!"

"30-15!"

"It seems like Hikari's speed had improved tremendously," said Kevin with a smirk.

"Sonic Serve," said Kirihara, smirking. "The only other serve whose speed could rival with Rika's Whirlpool Serve, and so far, Rika is the only one who could see it coming."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Game! Seigaku's Momoshiro-Kaidoh pair! 4-3!"

It was Hikaru's turn to serve, and everyone felt as if the temperature had dropped several degrees when they saw the cold look in Hikaru's eyes, and Kevin even wondered to himself if winter had came early.

Momoshiro was breathing heavily. _'We can do it! We can win this!'_

Momoshiro's eyes widened the next instant when he heard the unmistakable sound of a ball rolling away from the court, and turned towards the back of the court only to see a tennis ball rolling away, and turned back towards his opponents only to see Hikaru in the same posture as that of Hikari earlier when the latter had served the Sonic Serve earlier.

'_W-What?'_

"W-What just happened?" asked Kachiro, his eyes wide.

Kaidoh hissed one long hiss, sounding like a deflating balloon. Momoshiro was shocked, and the players of Fudomine were all shocked as well. "How can _Hikaru_ use the Sonic Serve?!" Ishida gasped.

Hikari sighed and grinned. "As expected, the _real _Sonic Serve has more speed and power packed in it. Right, _Hikari?" _He said in a voice loud enough to carry across the entire court.

Everyone on the courts save for the Rikkaidai regulars blanched in shock.

Kachiro finally managed to find his voice. "H-Hikari?" he said weakly. "Did he just say 'Hikari'?"

"W-What's going on?" asked his doubles partner, Katsuo, before a sudden realisation struck him. "C-Could it be…?"

The twins turned towards their shocked opponents as one, identical smirks on both their faces, reminding everyone present that even if they're doubles partners, those two _are_ still twins. "Neh, Momoshiro-san, Kaidoh-san," said Hikari, or is it Hikaru? "There is a name for us, you know? A name for us on the courts that only came about after our match in the Kanagawa tournament when we played against the Tanaka twins of Jyousei Shounan." 'Hikari' smirked before pulling the band that tied his hair up in a short ponytail, letting it loose so that his hair just brushes against his shoulders. "They call us the 'Trickster Twins'."

**

* * *

**Seigaku's tennis manager – Kayama Shuuri gulped nervously, staring with wide eyes at the two Rikkaidai players with identical colouring on the courts. The two may be fraternal twins, but they _are _still twins, and even if they're fraternal twins, they still look a little alike.

'_I was careless,' _he thought. _'I thought that the speed of the Sonic Bullet was a little slow the first time that it was showed in this match from the time when I saw it during their match against Jyousei Shounan during the Kanagawa Prefecture tournament, but I didn't expect that__…'_

Kayama Shuuri gulped nervously as he eyed the Fuuma twins on the courts. _'Truly, they're a pair to be feared. The Trickster Twins of the Court!'_

**

* * *

**"Really, imitating you is quite a pain," said 'Hikaru', pulling his hair into a ponytail before tying it with the band that his twin gave it to him. "How you can smile and grin all the time like that, I have no idea."

Hikaru smirked. "It's alright, isn't it?" he said. "Switching our places every once in a while is fine." He grinned. "It reminds me of the time when we're kids when nobody could tell us apart yet save for kaa-san."

Hikari rolled his eyes. "Don't remind me of it," he said.

Hikaru then grew serious. "Have you grasped it? Their weaknesses."

Hikari smirked. "Who do you think that you're talking to?" he asked before glancing towards Momoshiro and Kaidoh who both looked shocked. "Of course I did."

**

* * *

**Shuu chuckled, and Kevin shook his head in disbelief.

"I can't believe that they used the same trick that they used when we played against Jyousei Shounan during the Kanagawa tournament," said Takahiro before he smirked. "Truly expected from the Trickster Twins."

Kevin grinned. "I doubt that anything could stop them now," he said. "This is a great shock to their opponents. Those two twins…normally, one would be wary of Hikaru, but actually, _Hikari_ is the more dangerous of the two."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku! 4-4!"

"Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku! 5-4!"

"Kaidoh-fukubuchou… Momo-chan-sempai…" Kachiro muttered as he watched two of Seigaku's best players, second only to their captain and a certain someone whom he failed to mention get slaughtered by Rikkaidai's doubles two pair. "How could this…?"

"That was dirty!" said Masashi Arai angrily, curling a hand into a fist. "They tricked us!"

"No, Arai," said Kayama Shuuri gravely, looking at the Fuuma twins. "Outwitting your opponents is simply one of the tactics of tennis. They merely used the fact that they're twins to their advantage. On top of that…" Shuuri narrowed his eyes at Hikaru who was in a deep conversation with his twin, both standing before their captain, having a quick drink to quench their thirst. _'To be able to use the Sonic Serve at such a high level… High speed serves like the Sonic Serve and the Whirlpool Serve of Rikkaidai Fuzoku's vice-captain, Echizen Rika is no mere feat. He's no ordinary guy at all!'_

On the bench, Ryuzaki Sumire frowned to herself as she looked over at the Fuuma twins who were both in a deep conversation with their captain. _'Rikkaidai Fuzoku… Shinderui was right. Rika is bound to put together a team that rivals last year's Rikkaidai's strength. But still…' _She looked over at Hikari and Hikaru. _'What an outrageous trick that they used…! Even if they're twins… Fuuma Hikari who's a speed type player like Fudomine's Kamio, and who uses the Sonic Serve, along with Fuuma Hikaru who is hitting a close imitation of the Sonic Serve…' _She glanced over at the rest of the Rikkaidai team. _'Not to mention Kevin Smith and Kirihara Akaya as well as their vice-captain… They're bound to become stronger than last year's Rikkaidai's team by the time that it's time for the Nationals. They __**really **__do have National-level players on that team.'_

**

* * *

**"It's finally match game," said Takahiro grimly, curling his fingers beneath his chin as he watched Hikari and Hikaru. "With any luck, doubles two might end just like that."

"But still, the twins have exceeded my expectations," said Shuu gravely. "Both of them…are already at National-level."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"0-40! Match point!"

Hikari panted heavily, hunched over on his knees. Throughout this entire match game, he had been using a return version of the Sonic Serve, and it is extremely taxing on his stamina and strength. He can see just why Rika don't use the return version of her Whirlpool Serve much.

"Oi, Hikari. Are you alright?" asked Hikaru in concern.

"I'm alright," said Hikari, straightening himself up, his legs shaking slightly as he fixed both his opponents with a determined look. "Come on, Hikaru. Let's close the curtain on this game."

Kaidoh who was serving growled low in his throat as he heard what Hikari had said. "Don't underestimate us…!" he growled as he threw the ball up into the air and served. "We won't lose just like this!"

The next moment, the eyes of everyone present widened in shock as everyone saw Hikaru and Hikari switched positions, with Hikaru at the front, and Hikari at the back, but that's not all that the twins are up to as Hikaru had positioned himself as he ran towards the net almost in slow motion so that Momoshiro and Kaidoh can't see Hikari.

**

* * *

**"Pile Mirage?" muttered Shishido Ryou, recalling the move that he and Ohtori Choutarou had used during the Nationals the previous year during their match against Seigaku.

"No," said Atobe with a frown. "It doesn't seem to be just to conceal the back player from the sight of the opponents. There seems to be something more."

**

* * *

**"What?!"

Momoshiro's eyes widened as he saw what seemed to be after images of Hikari flickering left and right behind Hikaru as the two made their way towards the front before Hikaru stopped and smirked just as Momoshiro hit a lob towards Rikkaidai's court, and the older Fuuma twin grinned and winked at Momoshiro.

"You're still a hundred years too early to try to beat us," he said before he moved aside so quickly that it almost seemed like he had flickered away only to reveal Hikari standing behind him who smashed the lob ball so quickly that it entered Seigaku's court before anyone even knew what is going on.

"Game and match! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Fuuma Hikari and Fuuma Hikaru pair! 6-4!"

It was like an explosion had nearly gone off in the stands as Rikkaidai's cheerleaders cheered so loudly that it's almost loud enough to take the roof off. Hikari and Hikaru stood on the court, panting heavily before they both dropped down to the ground; with Hikari dropping on one knee to the courts, and Hikaru fell on his butt, both twins sighing in relief that the doubles two match is finally over.

"That last move…" said Kevin slowly. "What is that?"

"It seems to be something that they've both made it up on the spot at the last minute," said Ryou suddenly from beside Kevin, and the blonde blanched.

"Ryou? You're awake?!"

Ryou smiled. "Just long enough to see the twins' last move," he said. He then turned back towards the twins. "It seems to be a new move, and fairly impressive as well."

"It seems to be a mirage and illusion of some sort to me," said Takahiro thoughtfully.

"Mirage Illusion?" said Shuu, scribbling the name of the twins' new move down into his notebook before closing it with a snap, smirking all the while. "Nice name."

"_We will now begin the next match of doubles one! Kanagawa's Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Takeda Ryou and Takuga Shuu pair versus Tokyo's Seishun Gakuen's Kachiro Kato and Katsuo Mizuno pair! All players, please enter the court!"_

Over at Seigaku, the two mentioned were removing their regular jackets with shaking fingers before making their way to the courts nervously, with the rest of their teammates save for one whom no one liked to mention giving them words of encouragement.

Over at Rikkaidai, Shuu closed his notebook with a light clap before placing it above his tennis bag before he stood up and shrugged off his jacket before placing it above his bag. Ryou did the same thing beside him before the two best friends picked up their racquets and exchanged glances.

"Let's go," said Shuu, resting his racquet on his shoulder, looking towards the direction of the tennis court. "Let's go and conquer this match."

* * *

_A/N: How is the match description for this chapter? Good or bad? I took some of the parts of this match from the Prince of Tennis manga when Oishi and Kikumaru were facing Niou and Yagyuu. I always thought that bit was a little amusing when Niou and Yagyuu imitated each other, and no one realised it until they revealed themselves._

_Anyway, I hope that you like this chapter, and please read and review!_


	43. Fearsome Tennis

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Forty Three: Fearsome Tennis**

_Even if the morrow is barren of promises  
__Nothing shall forestall my return  
__To become the dew that quenches the land  
__To spare the sands, the seas, the skies  
__I offer thee this silent sacrifice  
__- Loveless, Act V_

**

* * *

**"_Always win, Rikkaidai!"_

"_Let's go! Let's go! Rikkaidai!"_

The cheers of the cheerleaders from Rikkaidai's bleachers were nearly deafening everyone present, even outstripping the volume of the cheerleaders of Hyotei Gakuen which is quite a feat in itself since Hyotei had over a hundred members in their tennis club, which _doesn't _include their cheering squad.

Currently though, all of Rikkaidai's regulars were gathered by the bleachers where the regulars were seated, even Kirihara who had left his place as bench coach. There was a short fifteen minute intermission as the authorities were cleaning up the court to get ready for the next match of doubles one, and currently, all of Rikkaidai's regulars were gathered by the bleachers, with the former Rikkaidai regulars as well as Atobe and his team who were gathered in one of the visitors' bleachers wondering what is wrong. Over with Seigaku's end, only a few of the more observant regulars like Kaidoh, Kayama Shuuri and Igawaki Haruse noticed that there's something up with Rikkaidai.

The twins – Hikari and Hikaru were both currently seated on the bleachers, both breathing and panting heavily, and it almost made everyone tired to listen to them. The normally vibrant and cheerful twins who were reduced to this state after just one match with Seigaku only proves the strength of their opponent. A towel was draped over Hikari's head, and his hand was shaking too much to be able to hold his water dispenser to be able to manage a sip to quench his thirst which Haruki had to help him with. Hikaru, on the other hand, looked ready to pass out as he'd used up most of his strength in that doubles two match.

Kirihara sighed before looking over at Seigaku's side only to see that Momoshiro and Kaidoh were in the same position as the twins, if not worse, as the twins had practically sent them flying all over the courts earlier, and not to mention the deep psychological shock that they've both suffered when the twins had imitated each other for most of the match.

The ringtone of Canon in D rang from Kevin's cellphone just then, and everyone in the Rikkaidai team save for the severely exhausted twins turned towards the blonde instantly as he fished his phone out of his tennis bag only to see the word 'Unknown' was flashing on the caller ID itself before frowning.

"I'm going to take the call," he said before he headed up the stairs to the bleachers to a more secluded area.

**

* * *

**"Moshi moshi?" Kevin spoke into the phone as he headed towards where the vending machines were located which is pretty secluded, and where he could have some privacy as he answered the phone call.

"_Kevin? It's me."_

Kevin's eyes widened. "Rika?" he said incredulously. "What are you calling me for? Is there something wrong?"

"_No. Don't worry," _said Rika, trying to reassure him, and from the sounds of things, it seems like Rika was using the public payphone at the hospital to call him. _"How's the match so far?"_

"Doubles two had just ended," said Kevin. "The twins won, but they were pushed to their limits, and Hikaru looked ready to pass out by the time that their match is over. But then again, Seigaku didn't look much better as well." He paused. "If everything goes well, we might be able to clinch the championship with singles three."

There was a pause from the other end of the line. _"I still stick to what I've said before," _said Rika with a sigh. _"Don't underestimate them. Seigaku is a formidable team. You should know this better than anyone else."_

"I know."

"_Everything is going well on my side as well," _said Rika. _"Sora is coming over later, and he'd just given me a call about half-an-hour ago. My brother is also on his way to the hospital as well. Riku's concert is currently going on, and I think it's already his turn to perform. He's currently in the middle of his second music piece. The operation will commence in a few hours. I can't be with the team right now, but do your best."_

Kevin smiled, though he knew that Rika can't see it. "We will," he said. "We'll win the championship. So you just concentrate on getting better and return to us." He then turned towards the direction of the tennis courts where Rikkaidai and Seigaku are currently having their match. "I have to go. Doubles one is about to start."

"_Okay. Give my regards to the team."_

"Your message earlier this morning is the best piece of encouragement that the team could have," said Kevin with a light laugh. "So you just concentrate on your operation, and hurry up and get better. The entire team misses their vice-captain, even the non-regulars."

"_Okay. I'll see you guys later, okay?"_

"Yeah." _Click._

**

* * *

**"What do you think?" Yagyuu asked his teammates quietly as they watched the authorities clean up the courts to get ready for the next match of doubles one.

"They're much better than what I'd expected, that's for sure." Yanagi admitted. "If they keep improving like this, they'll probably be even better than _us _last year by the time that it's time for the National tournament."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_We will now begin the second match of the Kantou Regional finals. Kanagawa's Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Takeda Ryou and Takuga Shuu pair versus Tokyo's Seishun Gakuen's Kachiro Kato and Katsuo Mizuno pair in doubles one."_

The two doubles pairs from Rikkaidai and Seigaku respectively were now standing at the nets, exchanging the customary handshake before each match, and anyone with eyes and a brain to go with it could tell that Kachiro and Katsuo were extremely nervous, and both were sweating buckets.

**

* * *

**"Oi, are those two really going to be alright?" asked Kamio with a sigh as he watched the Seigaku doubles pair. "Not to mention the pair whom they are going to be facing…" He trailed off, eyeing Ryou and Shuu who were both preparing to toss for sides.

"Takeda Ryou and Takuga Shuu…" said Ann slowly. "Those two hadn't lost a match ever since they were paired up, and they were rumoured to be even better than those two twins that had played earlier. This might be a rather tough battle for Seigaku."

**

* * *

**"This will be interesting…" said Fuji Yuuta, the new St. Rudolph's captain, watching the match from his place in one of the visitors' bleachers with his teammates. "I wonder how far Seigaku can go against Rikkaidai in this tournament…"

More schools had arrived at the match of the Kantou finals between Seigaku and Rikkaidai after the doubles two match had ended, among which included St. Rudolph and Hyotei Gakuen as well as Yamabuki and Jyousei Shounan. Nearly all the schools in the Kantou district were interested to see the showdown between those two schools when both teams were missing their top players at the same time.

**

* * *

**"Kayama-sempai, do you have any data on that pair?" asked some random Seigaku sophomore, turning towards the Seigaku tennis team's manager of sorts.

Kayama Shuuri frowned as he studied the Rikkaidai pair on the courts. "Like with nearly all the Rikkaidai regulars, there's not much to be known on them," he said. "All the Rikkaidai regulars were good at hiding their skills and ability, but it is said that this doubles pair…Takeda Ryou and Takuga Shuu are rumoured to be even better than Fuuma Hikari and Fuuma Hikaru, and that they hadn't lost a single match in an official tournament ever since they were paired up." He sighed. "If that is true, then I'm afraid that Kachiro and Katsuo would both be in an extremely sticky position."

**

* * *

**"Let's have a good match," said Shuu solemnly as they exchanged the usual customary handshakes with Kachiro and Katsuo who both looked as if they were wishing that they were anywhere but here.

"_One set match! Seigaku's Kachiro to serve!"_

Kachiro was bouncing the ball repeatedly onto the tennis court nervously before gripping hold of the tennis ball in his left hand, looking towards his opponents, not really seeing or hearing anything but his opponents. This was just another tennis match after all. And the two before them were just another one of their opponents – a hurdle which they have to get over in order to reach to the Nationals.

'_We promised Shiki-kun!' _thought Kachiro. _'We'll beat Rikkaidai and bring Seigaku to the Nationals! We can't__…' _He threw the ball up into the air. _'…lose here!'_

And he served.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Game! Seigaku's Kachiro-Katsuo pair! 2-0!"

Shuu and Ryou exchanged glances, with the latter resting his racquet against his shoulder as he eyed their opponents who were exchanging rather relieved looks with each other, the occupants of the Seigaku's bleachers screaming themselves hoarse.

"What do you think?" asked Shuu quietly as he got ready to head past Ryou towards his receiving spot on the court.

Ryou frowned a little; completely serious for once instead of being nearly half-asleep on his feet like always which is a first for the normally sleepy genius unless he's facing a really strong opponent or if he's really pissed off or serious.

"Seems to be no problem at all," said Ryou. "I hate to do this to them, but we made the fukubuchou a promise. Until the Nationals, _none _of us would lose in a match until her return! Furthermore…" He glanced at Kachiro and Katsuo. "Those two don't seem to have any special moves. They seemed to be sticking to only the most basic moves, yet they are extremely skilled with them."

Shuu nodded. He trusted Ryou's judgment as he had the same ability as Rika in which he is extremely observant, and he can read movements and people and their habits easily in which he can usually read the path of a ball even before it had entered their court.

"Well, time to get serious then," said Shuu, a faint hint of a smirk on his face, heading towards his receiving position on the court. "We've played around long enough, and the buchou don't look too pleased as well. I have no desire to run a hundred laps around the school during training on Monday if we don't get serious soon in this match."

**

* * *

**"Scary…" said Haruki in mock horror back on the Rikkaidai's bleachers as he watched Katsuo Mizuno get ready to serve. "Shuu and Ryou are both _really _serious this time." He grinned. "I hadn't seen either of them act this way in a match ever since their match against Fudomine's Ishida and Mori."

"What are the bets for the outcome of the match?" asked Kevin with a grin. "I'll say that they'll end it in twenty with six games to four."

Takahiro snorted. "Six games to four? You're underestimating Shuu and Ryou's potential and skill in doubles, Kevin," he said before placing his chin on his palm as he glanced at Shuu and Ryou who were both on the courts. "I'm betting that they'll finish it in ten with a game count of six games to two."

"I'm with Takahiro," said Haruki with a grin, slugging one arm around Takahiro, much to the Chessmaster's annoyance. "What about you, Hikari, Hikaru?"

"We're with Kevin," said the twins in unison.

Haruki grinned before turning towards Kirihara who was currently acting as bench coach. "Buchou, what about you?" he called out to Kirihara. "What are you betting on?"

"I'm keeping out of it!" Kirihara called back, slight annoyance creeping into his tone. "I'm keeping my money, especially after the lot of you robbed me of it during your last bet scheme during our match against Fudomine, and not to mention your bottomless pit for a stomach when you somehow suckered me into paying during our meal at the burger restaurant."

Takahiro fought hard to keep his face blank, but Kevin had a wide grin across his face as he remembered when Haruki somehow managed to include Kirihara into their last bet scheme during Shuu and Ryou's match against Ishida and Mori of Fudomine, and somehow, Haruki had managed to sucker the Rikkaidai captain into paying for the entire team when they went to the burger restaurant in the Tokyo district to celebrate their win.

"Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Takeda-Takuga pair! 2-2!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"0-30!"

"This is unbelievable…" muttered Arai, his eyes wide at the match currently going on before him. "And I thought that Kachiro and Katsuo are doing so well earlier too."

"Those two…Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Takuga Shuu and Takeda Ryou _are _stronger than the twins whom we faced!" Momoshiro muttered, his eyes wide in shock, staring at the match going on before him, with the Rikkaidai pair sending Kachiro and Katsuo flying all over the courts.

On the courts, Kachiro who was serving for this game panted heavily, sweat adorning his brow. He was the attacker for their doubles combination whilst Katsuo is the defender. And as such, he had been using up most of his strength even before the third game is over, and he is now paying the price for it.

'_Shiki-kun__…' _Kachiro thought, looking at the tennis ball currently clenched in his left hand. _'I…I'm not like you. Ever since our freshman year, I've always envied you for your skill and talent in tennis. You managed to make it in as a regular in your freshman year, something which everyone thought was impossible. You have plenty of good moves, but I have none. And thus, I and Katsuo have to train ourselves to death to master the tennis basics, and were soon good enough at it to make it as regulars in Seigaku, along with our skill in perfect ball control. I'm happy enough to just be able to play tennis. Win or lose, it doesn't matter to me. But…' _He gripped onto the tennis ball before looking towards his opponents. _'It matters now! I __**can't **__lose here! I've been watching you use your Twist Serve all these months, and I've tried to do the same thing that you do, but I've never managed to succeed at it, but…'_

**

* * *

**_Flashback Starts:_

_Huff. Huff. Pant. Pant._

_It was late evening, and the sun was nearly setting. Kachiro was hunched over his hands and knees in the tennis courts of Seigaku, hundreds of tennis balls all scattered all around him, his hands bruised which came from hours of practicing._

"_Just once more!" Kachiro muttered furiously before picking up one of the balls by his feet. "The Twist Serve__… At least let me have one special move that I can use!"_

_And he served._

_The ball landed onto the opposite court and bounced away simply._

_Kachiro sighed. "Still no good, huh?"_

"_Stop it, Kachiro," said a voice, and Kachiro turned to see Shiki walking into the tennis courts, dressed in his school uniform. The Seigaku captain had a brow raised at Kachiro's current dishevelled state as well as the state of the courts. "You can't do the Twist Serve."_

"_Why?" Kachiro asked. "Shiki-kun can do it, why can't I—"_

"_Not everyone can hit the Twist Serve." Shiki interrupted. "You need to have a really agile and flexible body in order to do it. Even I learned for __**years**__ before I actually mastered the usage of the Twist Serve. It isn't something that can be done in a few months."_

"_But…"_

_Shiki sighed before pulling out a tennis ball from his pocket and walking towards Kachiro before taking his racquet. "I'll teach you how to do it," he said. "The Twist Serve. I'll teach you the basics for it. And from there, try to figure it out on your own."_

_Flashback Ends:_

**

* * *

**'_I__…' _Kachiro closed his eyes before throwing the ball up into the air, betting everything that he had on this ball. _'I'm…__**not **__giving up!'_

And the ball impacted with his racquet, with Kachiro adding a great deal of spin to the ball before the tennis ball entered the court of their opponent before spinning furiously on the ground.

"What the—?!" Arai blinked, half-standing up from his seat, and the faces of the other non-regulars were shocked as well. "Isn't that Shinderui's Twist Serve?!"

"No…" said Kayama Shuuri, narrowing his eyes slightly as he studied the ball which was still spinning in Rikkaidai's court. "It's spin is different from Shinderui's Twist Serve."

"It's not a Twist Serve," muttered Kaidoh, his eyes wide in disbelief.

Igawaki Haruse gasped, realising just what serve it is. "It's a _**Twister Serve!"**_

"What the—?!" Shuu gasped as the ball bounced upwards towards his face and knocked his racquet out of his hand, creating quite a graze on his right wrist.

The entire court was silent after that one shot. Rikkaidai's bleachers were miraculously silent, and even Ryou was blinking in disbelief at that serve which Kachiro had just used. The Seigaku doubles pair was silent as well, and Kachiro was breathing heavily.

'_I__…I did it…!'_

"Kachiro, sugoi!" Tomoka cheered from Seigaku's bleachers.

'_That's no Twist Serve,'_ thought Kirihara, narrowing his eyes as he watched Shuu examined the graze on his right wrist. _'That's the more advanced version of the Twist Serve – the Twister Serve, and it's almost like a tamed down version of my old Knuckle Serve. But it's more dangerous as it can injure the opponent seriously if you're not careful. Rika showed it to me once after I'd sealed away my Devil Tennis. That guy…' _Kirihara narrowed his eyes at Kachiro. _'He's no ordinary guy as well…'_

**

* * *

**"30-30!"

Kevin who was timing the match on a stopwatch that he had with him looked at the stopwatch only to see that it currently read 03:45 and sighed. "Takahiro, looks like you're going to lose that bet," he said, smirking.

Takahiro smiled as he didn't take his eyes off the match currently going on before him. "I wouldn't speak that soon, Kevin," he said, resting his chin on the palm of his hand. "Tennis matches are quite unpredictable after all, and besides, this isn't all that Shuu and Ryou are capable of." He smirked. "Watch. It's coming. Shuu's tennis."

**

* * *

**"If you've got a trump card like that up your sleeve, you shouldn't have brought it out that soon," said Ryou, turning towards Kachiro. He smirked at Kachiro's dumbfounded expression. "Trump cards are best saved for the finale."

"Having a case of sour grapes?!" shouted some random Seigaku non-regular.

Ryou was about to say something back in reply when a hand clammed down on his shoulder, and he blinked and turned to see Shuu who wasn't looking too happy, nursing his right wrist, having removed the wristband around his left wrist to cover the injury on his right wrist to prevent the injury from getting infected. Ryou blinked in confusion.

"Shuu?"

"Ryou. Don't get in my way." Shuu nearly growled. He then turned to look at their opponents. "We can't afford to waste any more time on this match, or we won't be able to make it to the fukubuchou's operation."

"That's true," said Ryou, closing his eyes before opening them again. "You're going to use 'that'?"

Shuu nodded. "Yeah," he said. He then turned towards Ryou. "And you should use it too. Your 'trump card', that is." He smirked. "And I'll use _mine _too."

Ryou smiled but nodded.

"Gotcha."

Shuu smirked before resting the frame of his racquet against his shoulder. "Let's get started," he said. "Our 'Fearsome Tennis'. And we'll show everyone present just why we're known as the 'Psychic Pair', and why Rikkaidai is to be feared." He smirked. "Let's hurry up and conquer this match."

"Okay."

**

* * *

**"Okay, those two are going to get serious soon," said Takahiro with a whistle, noticing the look on Shuu's face. The normally calm tennis manager of Rikkaidai Fuzoku don't look too happy right now, and Takahiro made a mental note to himself to watch this match closely since this is probably the only time that he'll get to see Shuu and Ryou go all out.

"I don't know about you, but I'm sure glad that I'm not the ones whom they are facing right now," said Hikari, and Hikaru nodded. "It's truly scary…Shuu's tennis, that is."

Haruki smirked. "It's coming," he said. "Shuu's tennis."

"Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Takeda-Takuga pair! 3-2!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"30-0!"

Kachiro panted, running to receive the ball before returning it to Shuu who had a rather strange expression on his face right now which almost looks scary. Right from the fourth game onwards, Shuu had been attacking him, even ignoring Katsuo who was nearer to the net.

Everything before Kachiro's eyes blanked out just then as he saw Shuu who was standing in front of him seemed to morph into Kirihara. And not just any Kirihara, but _Devil Kirihara. _The one who had nearly crippled Fudomine's Tachibana Kippei a year ago, and had nearly seriously injured Fuji-sempai.

Kachiro's eyes widened in shock as Devil Kirihara smirked evilly at him, and he stumbled backwards in fear, falling to his knees, and the next instant, the vision faded away only to reveal Shuu who was smirking at him, and he heard the faint whizzing sound of a tennis ball as it whizzed past him.

"40-0!"

"Kachiro!" Tomoka shouted from the bleachers. "What's wrong with you?!"

Kayama Shuuri frowned and looked towards Shuu quickly. "I was afraid of that…" he muttered to himself.

"What is going on? Do you know what that Takuga guy just did, Kayama?" asked Momoshiro, turning towards Shuuri.

**

* * *

**"It's here," said Hikaru grimly, curling his fingers below his chin as he watched the match. "Shuu's ESP tennis."

Hikari sighed. "It's over," he decided. "No one can break out of Shuu's ESP tennis save for the fukubuchou as she got the third door."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Shuu had a faint hint of a smirk on his face as he returned the ball towards Kachiro, adding an extra spin to it, and Kachiro lobbed the ball in a way so that it'll land directly on the baseline. Kachiro blinked as he saw Shuu smirked before the silver-haired teen shouted to his doubles partner, not moving a single inch to receive the ball.

"Now, Ryou!"

Kachiro and Katsuo blinked owlishly, only to have the former paling as he saw Ryou leaping high up into the air to receive the lob ball before it even landed on the baseline. _'Shit! I forgot about him!'_

"You're still a hundred years way too early to try to beat us!" said Ryou with a smirk on his lips before he smashed the ball which flew towards the Seigaku court with alarming speed only to hit the right side of the net pole before it rebounded and hit the referee's chair, startling the poor referee, only to have the ball rebound again and hit the left side of the net pole this time around before flying into the air and landed on the ground, spinning for a few moments before stopping.

The entire court was silent at this shot.

Ryou landed lightly onto his feet before pointing two fingers at a stunned Kachiro and Katsuo. "Please don't forget one very important fact," he said with a smirk, the frame of his tennis racquet resting against his shoulder. "We're playing _doubles."_

"W-What is that shot?" wondered Katsuo. "It bounced from one place to another?"

"Reflection Shot," said Ryou with a smirk. "It's an extremely difficult shot to master, and it took me _months _of non-stop training in order to master that trick to make the ball rebound from one place to another."

"G-Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Takeda-Takuga pair! 4-2!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Takeda-Takuga pair! 5-2!"

"It's finally match game," said Haruki grimly, curling his fingers beneath his chin. "Kevin. Time?"

"Eight minutes and twenty seconds," said Kevin, glancing at the stopwatch in his hand. He turned towards Takahiro. "Even if they've managed to take three games in five minutes, I seriously doubt that they're going to be able to win this game in less than two minutes."

Takahiro smiled mysteriously. "You'll see," he said.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"15-0!"

"30-0!"

Ryou leapt into the air, and he smiled at Kachiro and Katsuo's horrified expressions, along with the rest of Seigaku as they recognised that stance immediately.

"Shit!" Katsuo cursed to himself. "Another Reflection Shot?!"

"Bingo," said Ryou with a smile before he hit the ball upwards which curved into the air and hit the side of one of the light posts in one corner of the court before rebounding and hitting the referee's chair, before rebounding again and hitting the left side of the net pole before it curved up into the air and landed onto the ground, spinning for a few moments before stopping.

Ryou smirked as he landed lightly on his feet, smiling at Katsuo and Kachiro's dumbfounded expressions. "Sorry. I guess that I forgot to tell you that I can manipulate the direction which the ball is going to go in by using the wind and taking the spin of the ball into account," said Ryou, not really sounding very apologetic at all.

"40-0! Match point!"

"It's finally match point," said Haruki, not taking his eyes off the match, along with every other.

The entire court was silent save for the cheerleaders from Rikkaidai and Seigaku respectively. It was like taking their eyes off this match for even a minute will cause them to miss seeing something important. Everyone was expecting for Shuu and Ryou to be in the lead to win, but no one was expecting this doubles one match to be _this _one-sided! Fudomine's Ishida and Mori knew by now that when Shuu and Ryou had played against them, they weren't going all out at all.

Katsuo panted heavily as he got in his receiving position, watching Shuu who was getting ready to serve. _'This last point__…' _he thought. _'I can't let them have it even if it kills me!'_

And Shuu served.

Katsuo was quick to return the serve, but unintentionally returned it as a lob, much to his horror. "Shit!" he cursed to himself as he watched Ryou leapt up into the air again, and watched Ryou's posture carefully. _'Another Reflection Shot?! Which direction is he going to hit it in this time around?!'_

Ryou smirked. "It's really too bad," he said. "But it's not going to be a Reflection Shot this time around."

Katsuo and Kachiro blinked simultaneously, along with nearly the entire Seigaku team, only to have them paling in horror as they saw Ryou drop down to the ground only to see Shuu leaping into the air behind him, his racquet raised before the silver-haired sophomore smirked before his racquet impacted with the ball, adding an additional topspin to the ball and smashing it.

The ball flew with tremendous speed into Seigaku's court, landing in the middle of the court before spinning furiously with such ferocity before the ball flew up into the air again, and split into halves, the two halves of the ball falling towards the court and landing atop the sidelines of each side of the court.

Silence reigned afterwards.

Shuu smirked as he landed lightly on his feet, the frame of his racquet resting against his shoulder. "I call that the 'Accelerando Shot'," he said.

Ryou smiled at the dumbfounded expressions on Kachiro and Katsuo's faces, pointing two fingers at them. "That's why I told you to leave the trump cards for the finale," he said.

"Game and match! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Takeda Ryou and Takuga Shuu pair! 6-2!"

Kirihara swore to himself later on that he thought that someone had just dropped an atomic bomb on them as that was what it sounded like to him as the deafening cheers that had gone off in the stadium was so loud that several birds actually took flight from the surrounding trees. Kirihara nearly sighed. If _this_ is their reaction in the Kantou finals, he'll hate to see their reactions during the _Nationals._

Over at Rikkaidai's bleachers, Kevin who had stopped the stopwatch the moment the referee had announced the score and the victors blinked and sighed, turning towards Takahiro who was looking particularly smug.

"Takahiro, are you a psychic or something?" Kevin muttered, glancing at the time shown on the stopwatch which read: 10:00.

"I'll thank you in advance for the treat that you're going to give us once the fukubuchou is out of the hospital then," said Haruki with a dazzling smile, and Kevin and the twins nearly groaned.

The three were starting to wish that they had done as their buchou had done, and had kept out of the bet in the first place. Despite Haruki's small stature, he can really eat when he wants to. It looks like Kevin and the twins will be living on bread and water for several days, and all three of them silently began to say a silent farewell to their wallets.

Kirihara nodded to Shuu and Ryou as they returned to their team's bleachers, whilst Seigaku was comforting a nearly weeping Katsuo and Kachiro, trying to comfort the two on their loss. "Nice game, you two," said Kirihara, and he watched Shuu and Ryou return to their team, and were congratulated by the others. _'It seems like Rika is right. Playing against Seigaku actually managed to bring out their utmost potential. They're already at National-level. They'll be ready for the Nationals once the time comes.' _He smiled before leaning back into his seat. _'I'll be looking forward to see how the number two player of Rikkaidai – after Rika and myself – fares in his match.' _He glanced at Rikkaidai's resident Chessmaster.

"_We will now begin the next match of singles three for the Kantou Regional finals! Kanagawa's Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Tanaka Takahiro versus Tokyo's Seishun Gakuen's Igawaki Haruse! Both players, please enter the court!"_

Over with Seigaku, a handsome looking senior with caramel coloured hair and gray eyes stood up before removing his regular jacket and picking up his tennis racquet, ready to make his way to the court.

Cheers from Rikkaidai's cheerleaders were nearly deafening everyone present by now especially after Rikkaidai had managed two consecutive wins in both doubles matches, and all that they have to do is to win one more match before the Kantou championship is theirs.

Takahiro removed his regular jacket before placing it above his tennis bag and removed his racquet from his tennis bag, standing up and resting the frame of his racquet against his shoulder, a confident smirk on his face.

"Let's get this underway, shall we?" he said, a smirk on his handsome features. "The dice is ready to be cast."


	44. The Chessmaster Takes the Court

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Forty Four: The Chessmaster Takes the Court**

Shuu and Ryou both breathed heavily whilst being seated on Rikkaidai's bleachers, both trying to breathe properly. Their match had taken a lot out of both of them, but at least their current state was better than what the twins had suffered through…by only a little.

Ryou was so exhausted that he couldn't even open his mouth, and a towel was draped over his head, cooling him down a little. Shuu was seated next to him, a water dispenser in his left hand. The rest of the team – minus Kevin – was looking at them in concern.

There was a ten minute intermission before the next match of singles three, and the authorities were cleaning up the courts in order to get ready for the next match, and Takahiro was examining his racquet strings. Over at Seigaku's side, the mood was rather sombre as Seigaku had just lost two straight games, and if they just lose one more game, it'll be over.

"Where's Kevin?" asked Haruki, looking left and right around him in search for the blonde. "I don't see him anywhere."

"He's giving Rika a phone call," said Kirihara. "Don't worry. He'll be back soon."

Shuu was breathing heavily, and glancing at his right hand which was trembling a little. _'My hand can't stop shaking,' _he thought. He glanced at Takahiro who was examining his racquet strings, and to anyone who knew the Chessmaster, they could tell that he looked slightly worried. _'Takahiro, be careful.'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"We won both doubles matches." Kevin was saying whilst on the phone with Rika. He was currently at the shelter not too far away from the vending machines, catching a quick drink at the same time, and updating Rika on the matches. "Things are going as planned so far. So don't worry and go for your operation."

"_I see," _said Rika. _"Everything is going okay here as well. If everything goes as scheduled, I'll be going in for the operation in an hour or two. Shiki too. I can't be with the team now, so I'm counting on you to hold the fort there for now until I can return."_

"I know," said Kevin, chuckling a little. "That's why you have to hurry up and return to us. The entire team misses you, and even the teachers at school miss you, and have been asking me when you'll be returning to school."

Rika laughed on the other end of the line. _"It's really too bad." _There was a slight pause. _"Don't you have to return to the team soon? The next match is starting soon, isn't it?"_

"Yeah," said Kevin, glancing at his watch. "I should be returning to the team soon. The next match is singles three. Takahiro will be playing in that match. If all goes well, the match will be over by the time that the singles three match had ended."

There was a slight pause before Rika spoke again, sounding serious. _"Just don't underestimate them," _she said. _"Seigaku is the team that my brother had trained after all. And my father came from that school. And__…" _There was a slight pause before Rika spoke again, slight hesitance in her tone. _"Tell Takahiro good luck for me, and for him to take it easy."_

"Huh?" Kevin blinked in confusion.

"_He'll understand what I mean," _said Rika. _"Hurry up and return to the team."_

"Okay," said Kevin with a slight nod, though he knew that Rika can't see it. "We'll see you later. We'll be sure to hand you the championship medal before your operation."

Rika laughed. _"We'll see about that. Rikkaidai __**will **__win, though I don't know if you can end the match before my operation."_

Kevin smirked. "Doubting us?"

"_Not really. It's just that we all knew Seigaku's strength. Hurry up and return to the team, Kevin."_

"Okay. See you later."

"_Yeah. Later." Click._

Kevin slipped his cellphone back into his pocket before walking past the vending machine where he had bought a can of Ponta earlier, before an empty drink can sailed over his head and landed neatly into the trash can not too far away from the blonde, and Kevin turned in his step only to see his twin standing at the vending machine, a can of orange Ponta in his hand, staring at him.

Kevin frowned inwardly.

"Kenneth," he muttered.

Kenneth frowned to himself. "Kevin."

"It definitely seems like we won't be able to face each other in a match after all," said Kevin curtly, looking at Kenneth in the eye. "The next match will be singles three. Rikkaidai will take the championship then."

"Really? I don't know about that," said Kenneth without a care in the world, taking a sip from his drink. "Igawaki Haruse will be in the next match of singles three. He's good. He's one of the best players in the Seigaku team. He's probably as good as Shinderui." He smirked. "We wouldn't lose just like this."

"Rika said the same thing too."

Kenneth raised an eyebrow. "Oh? She did?" he questioned. "That's interesting. That girl knew things that she has no way of knowing even before said things actually happened. It's that way back in America, and it seems like it's the same here in Japan as well."

"That's why Rika is our vice-captain," said Kevin.

"Regardless, we won't know the outcome of a match until we actually played," said Kenneth sharply. "Seigaku _will _defeat Rikkaidai and take the Kantou championship. The winner will be Seigaku, and I'll be your opponent in singles one."

"I wonder," said Kevin, narrowing his eyes. "It's true that I hadn't been able to beat you once in a tennis match yet even from when we're kids, but I'm no longer the same person that you knew, Kenneth."

Kenneth smirked. "Same here."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_We will now begin the next match of singles three for the Kantou Regional finals! Kanagawa's Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Tanaka Takahiro versus Tokyo's Seishun Gakuen's Igawaki Haruse! Both players, please enter the court!"_

The cheers from the cheerleaders of Rikkaidai Fuzoku was nearly deafening everyone present, and Takahiro was currently seated on the bench beside Kirihara, applying a new grip tape onto his racquet, adjusting it properly.

The Chessmaster was deep in thought, recalling what his doctor – Doctor Oishi – had said when he had gone to the hospital for his last check up three days ago as well as to go for his weekly nitric oxide injections appointments at the hospital.

_Your tendinitis is getting worse, Tanaka-kun. If you don't hurry up and go through with the operation, you might even lose your ability to walk ever again._

Takahiro frowned inwardly. It's not like he _wanted_ to delay the operation. It's just that he can't afford to take time off to go through with the operation now, especially with the finals of the Kantou tournament looming in the distance, and with Rika currently in the hospital, Rikkaidai can't afford to have another one of their players go into the hospital at present.

Takahiro stood up from the bench before shrugging off his jacket and walking to the courts where his opponent – a senior with caramel coloured hair and gray eyes was also making his way towards.

Haruki frowned slightly before turning towards Shuu. "Shuu, what is Takahiro's opponent like?" he asked. "Do you have any data on him?"

"Igawaki Haruse. A senior at Seigaku," said Shuu. "In terms of tennis ability and skill, I'll say that he's almost equal to last year's Fuji Syusuke."

"But our Chessmaster won't lose that easily as well," said Hikaru, turning towards the court where Takahiro and Haruse were now exchanging the usual customary handshake. "After all, Takahiro _is_ one of our best players."

"But so is Igawaki," said Shuu grimly. "This match could really go either way. Takahiro might win…or he might lose."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_One set match! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Tanaka to serve!"_

Takahiro was currently bouncing the tennis ball onto the court repeatedly whilst his opponent stood waiting on the other side of the court. And as Takahiro caught the ball into his left hand and looked towards his opponent, he felt all worries and concerns regarding this match as well as worries about his own health fade away.

This was just another match after all. And Igawaki Haruse was just another one of his opponents. One that he has to beat.

'_I have to end this match as soon as possible,' _thought Takahiro, glancing at Igawaki. _'There's no telling what may happen if I draw out this match.'_

And he served.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Game! Seigaku's Igawaki! 2-2!"

Takahiro frowned to himself inwardly as he studied his opponent. Just like Rika, he could read an opponent's moves, something which he prided himself on, and the reason why he's called the Chessmaster, but this time, he could hardly read the movements of this guy.

'_This guy__…' _Takahiro thought warily as he studied Haruse who was in turn, studying _him. 'He won't be easy to deal with. It seems like this match will be much more difficult than I had first expected.'_

**

* * *

**Momoshiro gave a slight whistle.

"Man, he's good! Igawaki's opponent, that is," he said, impressed. "He can actually force Igawaki to go all out right from the beginning."

"Tanaka Takahiro, Rikkaidai Fuzoku's sophomore," said Kayama Shuuri calmly. "Class 2-5, the same class as Echizen Rika. In terms of tennis skill, he's easily in the top tier of Rikkaidai Fuzoku, second only to their captain and vice-captain as well as Kevin Smith. I'm not surprised that Igawaki had to go all out on him right from the beginning."

"Does Igawaki have a chance to win?" asked Kaidoh, turning towards Shuuri.

Shuuri shrugged. "This match could go either way," he admitted. "Both of them are equally skilled. And let's face it. Not even _us _–Igawaki's teammates – knew his true skill and ability level. I guess it all depends on who Lady Luck smiles at."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"15-30!"

Takahiro breathed heavily as he glanced at Igawaki warily. As expected, this guy…wouldn't be easy. He can't afford to draw this match out. His doctor had warned him about long matches, and that his ankle wouldn't be able to withstand the strain of long matches, and that he has to avoid any injuries to his ankle if possible.

"Really, you have to be kidding," muttered Takahiro, pushing a lock of sweaty hair out of his eyes. "To think that this guy can actually push _me _this far. I hadn't been this desperate ever since the match with Rika."

And he tightened his grip onto the ball before throwing it up into the air, and his racquet impacted with the ball, adding an additional top-spin to the ball before the ball simply flew towards the net and before it could hit the net, it flew upwards, and everyone blinked.

**

* * *

**"Did Takahiro add too much spin to the ball or something?" asked Hikari in confusion.

"No, that doesn't seem like a mistake that he would normally make," said his twin, equally confused.

**

* * *

**The ball flew downwards again, and as Igawaki rushed to receive it, the ball landed onto the ground and crawled across the court without bouncing upwards, giving Takahiro one point, and the entire court fell silent.

'_What the—?' _Haruse thought, looking towards Takahiro's initial direction. _'What kind of serve is that?'_

"It seems similar to the Moon Serve of Rika's," remarked Haruki. "That shot…is probably a variation of that."

"I call that the 'Altissimo Decrescendo'," said Takahiro, resting his racquet against his shoulder.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"40-0!"

Takahiro breathed heavily. That new serve of his consumes a great deal of stamina and energy, and he could only use it for two games per match, but he can't afford to use up all his energy for this particular match as there's no telling how long the match will take him.

'_I have no choice!' _Takahiro thought as he served a normal serve to his opponent.

"It's a normal serve this time?"

Haruse frowned as he ran to receive the ball and returned it to Takahiro's side of the court only to have his eyes widening as he saw Takahiro ready to receive the ball with his racquet held by his side – above his head. As the ball came towards him, the racquet impacted so quickly with the ball that all Haruse and the rest of the Seigaku team saw was a blur before the ball entered Haruse's court, landing directly on the baseline, leaving quite a mark on it.

"Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Tanaka! 3-2!"

"I call it 'Artemis Return'," said Takahiro, panting slightly.

**

* * *

**Haruki smiled slightly, one finger to his chin as he watched the match currently going on before him. "That last return…it looks awfully like archery or something," he said.

"Artemis is the name of the moon goddess in Greek mythology," said Kevin, his fingers curled beneath his chin. "And she uses a silver bow and arrows as her weapon."

"Naturally, Takahiro knew that, of course," said Hikari, and Hikaru smirked. "Furthermore, most of his moves are named after musical pieces for some odd reason."

"Rika mentioned it to me once," said Kevin, frowning slightly. "Apparently, before Takahiro had taken up tennis, he's a violinist, a genius musician who excels at the violin. He's one of the world's most famous violinists, said to be a prodigy. He's the Music Maestro."

"But…" Ryou frowned a little, watching the match, wide awake for once as Takahiro's match is one that he _definitely _didn't want to miss. "Takahiro gives me the feeling that he's rushing through this match for some reason. He's been going all out right from the start, didn't he?"

"Now that you mention it…" muttered Kevin, turning towards Takahiro. "What is going on? Takahiro's style is that he usually draws his matches out as he read the moves of his opponents before countering. That's why he's known as the Chessmaster."

Meanwhile, on the bench, Kirihara was eyeing Takahiro nervously. He had just been to see Rika the previous day, and the dark-haired girl had told him that Takahiro's doctor had told her about the teen's current condition when Rika had ran into Doctor Oishi by chance in the hospital.

Kirihara gripped the sides of his arms nervously. _'Takahiro__…'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Tanaka! 4-3!"

Takahiro panted heavily, and on the other side of the court, Igawaki Haruse was also breathing heavily, hunched over on his hands and knees, trying to catch his breath back.

"I never thought that I'll actually get to see someone else who could actually force Igawaki to this state save for Shinderui," said Kayama Shuuri, impressed. "That Tanaka guy is good."

It was Seigaku's turn to serve right now, and Haruse was bouncing the ball repeatedly on the court as he got ready to serve. Takahiro, along with the rest of Rikkaidai's team knew by now that Haruse's style of tennis is only sticking to the basics like last year's Shintenhouji's captain, Shiraishi, yet he is actually skilled enough at the basics to be placed in the top tier of Seigaku's players.

Haruse served a pretty fast serve which landed in Takahiro's court, and he ran to receive it before returning it, and at the same moment when he returned it, a sharp stab of pain went through his ankle, and Takahiro bit on his lower lip to prevent himself from crying out.

'_Not now!'_

The ball whizzed past Takahiro's face just then, landing on the baseline of the court.

"15-0!"

Haruse frowned slightly as he studied Takahiro. The last ball that he had returned is simple enough for Takahiro to return. Why didn't he return it?

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"40-30!"

Shuu frowned as he studied Takahiro. The silver-haired teen's standing posture as he got ready to receive Haruse's ball was slightly different than usual. He seemed to be keeping most of his weight off his right foot for some odd reason.

"What's wrong with Takahiro?" Shuu wondered as Takahiro ran to receive Haruse's ball and returned it to his court. "He seems to be limping or something… Huh?" Shuu blinked as Takahiro steadied his posture. "It seems to be alright now…"

On the bench, Kirihara was sweating bullets. Rika had warned him about this, and told him to forfeit the match the moment Takahiro's injury acted up, but he also knew Takahiro, and knew that all of his players were all as stubborn as mules who wouldn't budge, no matter what he said, and neither would they forfeit a match.

'_Takahiro__… For your own sake, hurry up and end this match!' _Kirihara thought nervously. _'You can't afford to play in long matches now!'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Another sharp stab of pain went through Takahiro's ankle, and he fought back a cry of pain as he returned Haruse's ball which landed into the net.

"Fault! Game! Seigaku's Igawaki! 4-4!"

"Fault?" Haruki blinked, staring as Takahiro went towards Kirihara for a quick drink, and the two engaged themselves in conversation in relatively low voices so that no one could hear them, and Takahiro and Kirihara appeared to be arguing. "Takahiro wouldn't make an amateur mistake like that!"

"What _is_ wrong with him?" wondered Ryou. "He's not acting like himself."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Tanaka! 5-5!"

"Takahiro, what are you doing?" muttered Kevin, furrowing his brows together. "This isn't like you!"

Takahiro was panting heavily on the courts. He knew that he's reaching his limits, and he can no longer afford to draw out the match. The pain in his ankle was worsening with each moment, and he had been bearing with the pain throughout the entire match.

'_I can't lose here! We promised Rika! We won't lose here! We __**can't **__lose here! I __**cannot **__afford to lose here!'_

In his desperation, a strange aura had surrounded Takahiro, and all Rikkaidai players blinked as Takahiro used Hikari's Sonic Serve, attaining one point past a stunned Haruse. The seniors of Seigaku recognised what that was instantly, and all the Rikkaidai regulars knew what it was immediately.

"That is…" muttered Kirihara, his eyes threatening to bulge out of his eyes. "That is Muga no Kyouchi…"

"This is unbelievable…" muttered Ryou. "He can actually manage to achieve the first door in the middle of his match like this?"

"He's actually activated it?" said Kevin before he smiled. "Then that makes three people in our team who can use it."

"That is Ryou's Reflection Shot!"

"And the fukubuchou's Hahonryu!"

"40-0!"

Haruse panted heavily. _'Tanaka__…to think that you are this strong…!' _he thought. _'My apologies. But I __**cannot **__afford to lose here!'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Tanaka! 6-5!"

"Game! Seigaku's Igawaki! 6-6! Tiebreak!"

'_This is bad,' _thought Kirihara to himself as he eyed Takahiro warily. _'The usage of the Muga no Kyouchi drains one's stamina and energy tremendously. And not to mention Takahiro's current state__… Come on, Takahiro! End this match quickly!'_

**

* * *

**"32-31!"

"32-32!"

"33-32!"

'_I__…' _thought Takahiro as he served to Haruse before dashing up to the net.

'_I can't…' _Haruse thought as he received the ball before rushing up to the net.

'_I __**cannot **__afford to lose here!' _Takahiro and Haruse both thought simultaneously as the ball landed in Rikkaidai's court, and Takahiro received it before a particularly sharp stab of pain went though his ankle once more, bad enough to cause him to nearly black out, and he bit back a cry of pain before returning the ball which hit the net.

"Fault! Game and match! Game won by Seishun Gakuen's Igawaki Haruse! 7-6!"

Takahiro stood on the court panting heavily. This was the best match that he had had in a long time ever since playing against Rika in a practice match in school. He might have lost the match, but he could feel that he's gotten stronger.

A whole _lot _stronger.

This match is over.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The cheers from the cheerleaders and the tennis team of Seigaku nearly tore through the roof, startling several birds into flight from the nearby trees, causing those poor feathery creatures to think that it's the end of the world or something.

Seigaku was cheering as the two players of singles three met each other at the net, exchanging the usual customary handshake after a match. Kirihara had a rather grim expression on his face – a half-smile half-frown. He's not happy that Takahiro had lost, of course, but he knew that the teen had grown stronger with this match…a _lot _stronger.

Rika was right. Seigaku had that influence on their opponents to not only have Seigaku's own players growing stronger with each match, but they could also help their opponents to grow stronger even though they had lost.

"It's really too bad that Takahiro had lost, but I've never seen him play like that before," said Haruki thoughtfully. "I never knew that he is that strong. No, scratch that. He's _grown _stronger with this match."

"Hikari, Hikaru, Shuu and Ryou too," said Kevin wisely, and everyone turned towards him. He blinked. "You mean you guys didn't notice it? All four of you have grown stronger after your matches. You're all at National-level now. Takahiro too."

"Now that you mention it…" muttered Shuu.

**

* * *

**Takahiro sighed as he exchanged the usual customary after-match handshake with Igawaki Haruse, his racquet tucked beneath his left arm. "I lost," he said simply. "Fair and square." He smiled. "You're really strong. I've never lost a match ever since I've played in a practice match with the vice-captain of my team."

Haruse smiled, releasing Takahiro's hand. "You can't fool me," he said, and Takahiro raised an eyebrow. Haruse sighed. "I'm not blind, Tanaka. You're…injured, right?" Takahiro's eyes widened a slight fraction, and Haruse sighed. "I knew it. If you were at full health and in tip-top condition, this match might have gone to you just as easily. You might even have beaten me if you were in tip-top condition." Haruse smiled. "You're as strong as me…no, probably even stronger. You might have beaten me if you weren't injured."

"Don't say anything about this to your teammates or mine," said Takahiro quickly. "Please."

Haruse blinked, but he nodded. "Well, I don't really understand why, but okay," he said. He then smiled. "I'll look forward to playing you again in the Nationals."

Takahiro smiled and nodded. "I'll look forward to that," he said. "But this time, I'll be the one to win."

Haruse smiled. "I'll look forward to that."

**

* * *

**Seigaku was cheering themselves hoarse as Haruse walked back towards his team before nearly collapsing on the bleachers. It was like Seigaku was welcoming back a hero from some mission. Ryuzaki was smiling, nodding to Haruse.

"Good work, Igawaki," she said.

"Seigaku still has a chance to win!" said Momoshiro with a grin. "We wouldn't lose just like this!"

Kayama Shuuri smiled.

**

* * *

**Over with Rikkaidai, Takahiro nearly collapsed on the bleachers, and Hikari and Hikaru was quick to bring Takahiro his water dispenser as well as a damp towel which Takahiro placed over his head, trying to cool himself down.

"Sorry guys," said Takahiro apologetically. "I lost."

Kirihara smiled but shook his head. "You've already did your best," he said, and the rest of the team nodded. "Leave the rest of it to us. We just need to win one more match." He winked at Takahiro. "Don't worry. Rika wouldn't blame you for this."

Takahiro smiled and nodded.

"_We will now commence the next match of singles two for the Kantou Regional finals! Kanagawa's Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Yukimura Haruki versus Tokyo's Seishun Gakuen's Kayama Shuuri! Both players, please enter the court!"_

Over with Seigaku, Kayama Shuuri smiled to himself before picking up his racquet and turning towards his team. "Well, I guess I'm up," he said, ready to make his way towards the court.

Over at Rikkaidai, Haruki unzipped his jacket before tossing it above his tennis bag and picking up his racquet, resting it against his shoulder.

"Don't take your opponent lightly, Haruki," said Takahiro warningly, and the normally happy-go-lucky sophomore nodded.

"I know," said Haruki. "I'll end the match as soon as possible. With that…" He stretched lightly before glancing towards his opponent and then turning towards the court. He smiled. "I guess that I'm up next."


	45. Game, Set and Match

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Forty Five: Game, Set and Match**

Both the singles two players from Rikkaidai and Seigaku respectively were gathered before the bench coaches of their individual schools, listening to some last minute advice as well as checking on their racquet strings and doing some light warm ups.

"It's probably best if Haruki can win this," said Ryou grimly. He glanced at his watch before looking around at his other teammates. "We can't afford to waste anymore time here."

"That's true…" said Hikari, nodding. He then turned towards Shuu. "Shuu, what's Haruki's opponent like?"

"Kayama Shuuri," said Shuu. "A senior at Seigaku. His play style is kind of strange as it's extremely difficult to read his movements." He glanced at his teammates before turning towards the direction of the Seigaku player. "His style is extremely unpredictable. Probably…only someone who plays analyzing tennis like the fukubuchou can read his movements." He curled his fingers just before his mouth. "But if it's Haruki…" He trailed off.

"Our 'Tenkou' (Heaven's Light) isn't that easily beaten as well," said Hikaru with a smirk on his face, leaning back into his seat. "But it's probably best if Haruki ends this match as quickly as he could." He added. "We definitely can't afford to waste anymore time here."

Over with Seigaku, the seniors of the regular team are having a serious conversation among themselves without letting any of the sophomores or freshmen overhear them. Igawaki Haruse who is still recovering from his match had a towel draped around his neck whilst sipping from his water dispenser.

Haruse sighed as he eyed Shuuri who is currently seated beside Ryuzaki-sensei on the bench, tying his shoelaces together tightly. "I don't know about you guys, but there is a part of me that hopes that Rikkaidai wins this match," he said bluntly. "Kantou championship or not, there is no glory to be held if one of our players injures their opponent in a match."

Momoshiro sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Yeah, I get what you mean," he said miserably. "I don't want Seigaku's name to be dragged through the mud as well. There is a part of me that hopes Rikkaidai wins this match, but there is also a part that hopes that Rikkaidai will lose singles two."

Kaidoh hissed before glancing from Shuuri to Haruki. "Let's see how the match goes," he said.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_We will now commence the next match of singles two for the Kantou Regional finals! Kanagawa's Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Yukimura Haruki versus Tokyo's Seishun Gakuen's Kayama Shuuri! Both players, please enter the court!"_

Shuuri picked up his racquet before walking onto the courts whilst Haruki stood up from his place beside Kirihara on the bench before turning towards Kevin, the frame of his racquet resting against his shoulder. "Takahiro, what time is it now?"

"01:45pm." Takahiro answered, glancing at his watch before turning back towards Haruki. "If you manage to finish the match in fifteen minutes or less, we might still be able to make it in time to the fukubuchou's surgery."

Over with Seigaku, all their regulars save for Kaidoh and Momoshiro as well as a certain blonde blinked owlishly. And even Fudomine who wasn't sitting too far away from Seigaku all looked confused save for Ann, Kamio and Ibu.

"Surgery?" Kachiro echoed.

"Yeah," said Igawaki Haruse with a nod, crossing his arms over his chest. "Rikkaidai's fukubuchou – Echizen Rika – is involved in the same accident that Shinderui is involved in about a month ago. I think that they're both having the same operation today. That's why both of them are unable to attend the match today."

"So _that's _why," muttered Katsuo, glancing over at Rikkaidai. "I thought that they seemed to be rushing through their matches for some odd reason."

"Regardless, we still can't go easy on them," said Kaidoh, hissing a little as he did so. "Though there is still a part of me that hopes for Rikkaidai's victory." He muttered that last bit beneath his breath.

**

* * *

**Shuuri looked at Haruki with curious eyes as the Rikkaidai sophomore stood before him at the net as the two got ready to exchange the usual customary handshake before a match before tossing for sides.

"So your fukubuchou is scheduled for a surgery in the hospital today?" he stated more than questioned, and Haruki glanced at him. "Our buchou too. I don't intend to lose here."

Haruki smiled. "Me too," he said. "I'm sorry about this, but I can't afford to waste anymore time here."

Shuuri sighed before he placed the top of his racquet on the ground, ready to toss for sides. "So mote be it," he said. He then glanced at Haruki. "Which?"

"Smooth."

Shuuri spun his racquet which spun for a few seconds before falling on the smooth side onto the ground. Rikkaidai had first service.

Shuuri then picked his racquet up before glancing at Haruki.

"Service."

Haruki nodded to Shuuri before turning around with his racquet tucked under one arm, ready to head to his serving position on the court.

"End."

**

* * *

**"_One set match! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Yukimura to serve!"_

Haruki bounced the tennis ball onto the court repeatedly whilst Shuuri stood in his receiving position on the opposite side of the court, ready to receive the ball. Haruki caught the ball in his left hand and looked across the court to Shuuri.

'_I'm sorry. I can't afford to waste any time here. I'm ending this match as soon as I can!'_

And he served.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Yukimura! 3-3!"

"Man, Haruki's going all out!" said Hikaru, giving a slight whistle. "But that Kayama is good as well. He can actually keep up with Haruki."

"Yes, but Haruki isn't serious yet," said Takahiro, curling his fingers before his mouth, and Kevin and Shuu both nodded, agreeing with him. "Haruki _is _one of our best players, second only to the buchou and fukubuchou. Even if he wanted to end this match as quickly as possible, he isn't as foolish as to show all his skill and ability to his opponent right from the start."

Kevin smiled. "Well, there _is _a reason why he's called 'Tenkou' (Heaven's Light)," said the blonde, one finger to his chin.

**

* * *

**Haruki breathed heavily as he grasped the tennis ball in his left hand, and on the opposite side of the court, Kayama Shuuri was breathing heavily as well.

He threw the ball up into the air and served.

Shuuri watched as he ball hit the court and was ready to return it as it rebounded, but he blinked as the ball turned in circles as it hit the court and flew off into the opposite direction, rolling away slowly from the court.

Everyone was silent.

"W-What is that?" Shuuri wondered, looking from the ball to Haruki and back again.

Haruki smiled, resting his racquet onto his shoulder. "Ring Serve," he explained. "It's a simplified variation of the fukubuchou's Whirlpool Serve. Only that it uses less stamina. But just a word of warning though…" Haruki smirked. "Not even _I _knew the direction in which the ball is going to go in."

"15-0!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Morita Hospital  
__Tokyo District_

Shinderui Shiki and Echizen Rika were both currently on the rooftop of the hospital having a game of shougi with the shougi set in between them on the bench that they were both sitting on. The previous night, their individual doctors had dropped by to visit them when Rika was in Shiki's room having a game of chess like what the two had done on occasion, with either Rika being in Shiki's room or Shiki being in Rika's room. Their doctors had instructed them to not eat or drink anything for about seven hours before their operation.

"It should be singles two now," said Shiki at last, moving a shougi piece. "Kayama Shuuri. He's one of our best players."

"His opponent is probably Haruki," said Rika calmly, moving another shougi piece.

Shiki looked at Rika with interest. "The cousin of last year's Rikkaidai's captain?" he asked, and Rika nodded. "Is he good?"

"On par with Kevin and Takahiro," said Rika. "He's pretty good."

There was silence for a few moments as both Rika and Shiki both made their moves. The two had gotten pretty good at chess and shougi during their hospital stay, having nothing to do, and rather than just laze around, they preferred playing strategy games in order to keep their minds sharp.

Shiki sighed a little just then, moving a shougi piece forwards. "You know, as Seigaku's buchou, I _don't want _my team to lose," he said. "But then again, there is a part of me that wishes for Rikkaidai's victory."

"Is it because you don't wish to see Kevin and Kenneth go up against each other in a match?" asked Rika wisely, and Shiki nodded.

"That's not the only reason," he said. Shiki sighed, his right hand hovering over one of his shougi pieces before picking it up and moving it. "Back then…our match with Fudomine…" Shiki sighed before turning to look at Rika in the eye. "What he did to Ibu-san back then is beyond despicable. We were lucky that Ibu-san is as good at tennis like he was; otherwise, he would be suffering more than injured muscle ligaments and an injured arm. I'm sure that you know this too."

Rika sighed and nodded, moving another shougi piece whilst taking one of Shiki's. "After Kevin and Kenneth's father was sent to prison, Kenneth started playing a form of violent tennis called Spartan Tennis," she said. "It's an extremely violent type of tennis in which the user will injure their opponent. I think that last year's Jyousei Shounan's Shinjou-san's Mirage is a variation of the Spartan Tennis style." She sighed. "Neither Kevin nor myself knew just why Kenneth started using this style as he never used to play like this. My guess is that Kenneth plays Spartan Tennis in order to keep his father's memory alive within him. When they were kids, George Smith taught Kevin and Kenneth Spartan Tennis. Neither one of them used it, but after their father was sent to jail…" She trailed off.

Shiki nodded; he understood what Rika was trying to tell him. "I see," he said, a slight smile on his face. "Another reason of mine is that I don't wish to see the two brothers go at each other like this. This isn't just a match to them. It's much more. I don't want Kevin to be the next person to be hospitalised."

"I doubt that Kenneth will go that far," said Rika, trying to reassure Shiki, though she knew that Kenneth _might _and _will _go that far if the two brothers somehow manage to face each other in a match. "Kevin _is _still his twin after all. Besides, I believe that Kevin will beat him. Only by beating Kenneth can he return to the way he is _before _their father was jailed."

Shiki smiled slightly. "You didn't see Kenneth when he played against Fudomine's Ibu-san and Yamabuki's Dan," he said sadly. "I have to actually stop the match myself when he was playing against Dan. Dan was lucky. He uses his speed to his advantage, otherwise, he would have ended up in the hospital for _weeks _like Ibu-san."

"Nonetheless, if Kevin and Kenneth ever meet each other in a match, I believe that Kevin will win," said Rika stubbornly. "He _has _to. He's the only person who can make Kenneth return to the way he is. And that's only if he manages to beat Kenneth."

"Back to our original topic…" said Shiki, changing the topic as it was getting way too depressing for his liking, moving another shougi piece on the board. "What do you think about the singles two match?"

Rika laughed. "I don't know about your player, but Haruki isn't the type to just lose a match, even if he is at a disadvantage," she said, moving another shougi piece on the board. "He's just like his cousin. Even if he is injured, he'll still keep pushing himself to his limits. He's as stubborn as a mule."

Shiki grinned. "Injured huh?" he said. "What, do you think that he might injure himself with a broken racquet or something like what had happened to me last year?"

**

* * *

**_Drip. Drip. Drip._

Kevin paled, standing up from his seat in Rikkaidai's bleachers and placing both hands atop the barrier that separates the bleachers from the courts, staring with wide and shocked eyes at Haruki who was currently crouched down by the net on his hands and knees, one hand covering his left eye.

"Haruki!"

Across Haruki, Kayama Shuuri had on an expression of pure shock and horror. He hadn't anticipated that when he had hit a drop volley to Haruki, the teen would rush to receive it, and had fallen against the side of the net, falling onto the hook of the net pole which the tennis net was tied to, creating quite a grievous wound.

All of Seigaku were on their feet as well, as several droplets of blood was splattered on the ground near Haruki, the teen covering his wound with his left hand, blood trailing down his hand. Shocked and terrified expressions were on the face of nearly everyone present.

Ann was covering her mouth with both hands in horror, with Kamio standing up next to her, an expression of shock and horror on his face. "Yukimura-kun…!"

"Oh god…" Igawaki Haruse muttered, his eyes wide as he placed both hands atop the barrier that separates Seigaku's bleachers from the courts, staring at Yukimura Haruki in horror.

Kirihara stood up from his seat as bench coach and turned towards the referee. "Referee, time out!"

The referee nodded before Hikari and Hikaru leapt over the bleachers towards Haruki and helped him to the bench where Kirihara was, with Shuu pulling out the first aid kit which he always carried with him to every tournament in case one of their players was injured in a match.

Shuu leapt over the barricades of the bleachers with the first aid kit as Haruki was led to the bench where he sat down on it, his left hand still covering his eye, blood running down it. Shuu was like the team's doctor, being the only one in the team apart from Takahiro and Kevin who had experience with treating injuries, and was usually the one to patch the team up after training.

"Haruki, let me take a look at your wound," said Shuu as he opened the first aid box and placed it on the ground beside him, kneeling before Haruki to better examine his wound.

Takahiro, Ryou and the twins were half-leaning over the barricades of the bleachers of Rikkaidai Fuzoku whilst Kirihara and Kevin were standing by Haruki and Shuu's side. Over with Seigaku, most of the team were looking over at them, and even Ryuzaki was looking at Haruki with concern. Shuuri was sitting on the bench at Seigaku's bleachers, glancing over at Haruki occasionally, feeling slightly guilty for having caused his injury.

Haruki frowned but removed his hand, and Shuu moved Haruki's hair away from the wound carefully, only to nearly wince at the deep wound that he saw just above Haruki's left eye which reaches all the way to his left temple. The blue-haired teen was lucky that he didn't injure his left eye along with it, otherwise he would have lost his sight in his left eye for eternity.

Kevin nearly winced as he saw the wound, and the blood running from the wound down Haruki's face. Splotches of blood was already on Haruki's jersey, and the worse of it was on his collar, reminding Kevin of the Resident Evil movie that he'd watched with Rika and Ryoga a few months ago. It would be rather funny if the current situation wasn't so serious.

Shuu took out a wad of cotton from within the first aid box before attempting to clean up the blood around Haruki's wound and his face. He used up about nearly twenty pieces of it before turning towards Kirihara with a sigh, the captain who was looking on in concern, Shuu holding a piece of cotton to Haruki's wound to absorb most of the blood currently flowing down his face.

"It's no good, buchou." Shuu said with a frustrated sigh. "I can't get the blood to stop flowing. Haruki is lucky. His eye is alright. Just a few more inches, and he would have lost his sight in his left eye. It's his eye muscles which are injured, and he might even have a concussion or two as well as he hit his head pretty hard against the net pole earlier."

Kevin paled a little as he looked carefully at Haruki's wound, the latter flinching occasionally as Shuu removed the wad of cotton before replacing it with a new one to absorb the blood. "Oh god… I don't think that I've ever seen this much blood before," he said weakly.

"Do you have hemophobia or something, Kevin?" asked Kirihara irritably. He is currently in no mood to deal with someone who faints at the sight of blood.

**

* * *

**Over with Seigaku, the seniors were looking at the scene with concern.

"This doesn't look good," said Kaidoh grimly. "His injury seems to be quite serious, and he might have a concussion or two as well. He's simply in no condition to continue the match."

"I doubt that Rikkaidai will just forfeit their match like this," said Momoshiro, glancing at the scoreboard in a corner which currently read: _Seigaku = 4 | Rikkaidai = 4. _"All of them are as stubborn as mules."

"And…I doubt that Shuuri will be happy if he wins via forfeiture as well." Igawaki Haruse added, glancing towards the direction of his best friend who was currently sitting on the bench next to their coach.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"The blood simply can't stop!" said Shuu with frustration as he took out a new wad of cotton before pressing it gently against Haruki's wound, ignoring the slight flinch from Haruki as he did so. He then turned towards Kirihara who had on quite a sombre expression. "It's no good, buchou. We have to forfeit this match. Haruki is in no condition to continue!"

"No!" said Haruki firmly, speaking for the first time ever since he had gotten himself injured. The entire Rikkaidai team turned towards him. "I can still continue the match."

"What do you think that you are saying, Haruki?!" protested Kevin. "You can't go out and continue the match like this!" He gestured towards Haruki's injury. "And you've just heard Shuu. You might have a concussion or two!"

"Kevin is right." Takahiro added. "Haruki, don't force yourself to continue. Your cousin _will _kill us if anything happens to you!"

"Buchou." Haruki looked at Kirihara determinedly. "You've said yourself that we can't afford to waste anymore time here. Otherwise we'll never make it in time to the fukubuchou's surgery!"

Kirihara sighed, running a hand through his already usually untidy hair. "Be that as it may be, but I know Rika," he said firmly. "She will _never _let her teammates risk their well-being and their health just to win a match. Besides, she will _definitely _kill me if she found out that I allow you to continue your match in this condition." Kirihara sighed. "Haruki, listen to us. Forfeit this match. We can still win the Kantou championship if we win just one more match. Believe in your teammates."

Haruki shook his head stubbornly. "No, I'm playing," he said. "I'm not giving up. I know that I can still win! Please, buchou!" He nearly pleaded.

Kirihara nearly groaned to himself and exchanged looks with Kevin and Shuu who both shrugged. He then turned back towards Haruki. "Are you sure that you're feeling well enough to continue this match?" he asked seriously. "You're not feeling giddy or anything from blood loss or a concussion?"

"I'm feeling one hundred percent fine." Haruki lied, not wanting to reveal the fact that he's feeling a little woozy and giddy ever since Shuu was tending to his injury, knowing that if he had said that, Kirihara would never allow him to continue his match.

Takahiro studied Haruki, not quite believing him, and judging by the looks on the faces of Kevin and Kirihara, they don't as well.

Kirihara sighed before turning towards Shuu. "Shuu, patch up his wound as best as you could, and try to stop the bleeding before binding it with a bandage until we can get a certified doctor to look at him," he instructed, and Shuu nodded before getting to work on Haruki's wound. Kirihara then turned back towards Haruki. "Listen to me, Haruki. If you feel even the slightest bit giddy or ill, forfeit this match immediately." Haruki nodded. "Yukimura-buchou _will_ kill me if anything happens to you. And I don't even want to think about what Rika will do."

The rest of the team exchanged amused smirks, knowing quite well that even though Kirihara is the captain, their fukubuchou's word is law in Rikkaidai.

"Done," said Shuu at last after he had bandaged Haruki's wound, concealing the vision of his left eye. "The longest that the bleeding can stop is for ten minutes." He glanced at Haruki as he packed up the first aid kit and watch Haruki took his racquet from Kevin. "End this match as quickly as you can, Haruki."

Haruki nodded.

**

* * *

**There were shocked exclamations from nearly every corner of the court when everyone saw Haruki walking back onto the courts with his racquet tucked under one arm, his left eye bandaged. Shuuri, upon seeing this, picked up his racquet silently and walked back to the court as well.

"He's still going to continue his match?!" Kamio blinked owlishly. "With such a serious injury?! He's gotta be crazy!"

Ann smiled to herself. "Reminds you of someone whom we knew, doesn't it?" she asked, and Kamio grinned.

**

* * *

**Over with Seigaku, the seniors were having a rather heated discussion.

"With an injury like that, he's still going to continue?!" Momoshiro asked incredulously, turning towards the courts where Haruki and Shuuri were going to continue their match with a game count of 30-15 with Haruki in the lead. "It's impossible for him to win like this!"

**

* * *

**Haruki served a simple serve to Shuuri who returned it simply, before Haruki rushed to receive it. With his left eye being covered by bandages, he's finding it a little difficult to see, but he was slowly getting adjusted to it with time.

Haruki returned a semi-fast ball to the side of Seigaku's court only to have Shuuri returning his shot via a short-cross, making the game count even. Haruki panted a little. He had to hurry and end this match as he was getting a little woozy in the head, and his vision is blurry. He won't be surprised if he passed out or something.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"30-40!"

Everyone in Rikkaidai watched on with alarm as Haruki stumbled on the courts, shaking his head a little, and pressing his left hand to his forehead. He looked extremely pale, and the bandage around his eye was stained red with blood once more, indicating that his wound had opened again.

"Haruki!"

"Haruki." Kirihara sighed, standing up from his seat, his hands planted on his hips. He looked at Haruki firmly with a look that said no arguments. "That's enough. Forfeit this match."

"But—"

"Look at yourself!" said Kirihara, losing his patience, and everyone – Seigaku and all the spectators included – looked at the Rikkaidai's buchou in surprise as Kirihara rarely loses his temper. "You can barely stand on your own two feet, let alone walk! You look as if you're about to pass out!" He sighed. "Haruki, forfeit this match. No match is worth your own physical well-being."

Takahiro shifted in his seat uncomfortably at this.

Haruki stared at his captain before sighing. "Hai."

Hikaru leapt over the barricades of the bleachers towards Haruki before helping him back to the team, the blue-haired teen looking paler than normal, and looked as if he was about to pass out. Kayama Shuuri didn't look too pleased when Kirihara forfeited the singles two match, and the referee announced that Seigaku won the singles two match via forfeiture.

"Yukimura." Shuuri called out to Haruki who turned towards him. "It's really too bad about the outcome of this match, but if we ever meet in the Nationals, I'll beat you fair and square."

Haruki smiled and nodded, immediately regretting it as the world around him began to spin. "I'll be looking forward to it."

"_We will now commence the next match of singles one for the Kantou Regional finals! Kanagawa's Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Kevin Smith versus Tokyo's Seishun Gakuen's Kenneth Smith! Both players, please enter the court!"_

It was like winter had came early as the temperature seemed to have dropped several degrees. Everyone in Rikkaidai watched as Kevin took out his racquet from his bag silently before examining the racquet strings, ignoring everything around him.

"Two wins and two losses," said Ryou grimly. "If Kevin wins this…we win."

Shuu nodded.

Kevin stood up just then before shrugging off his jacket before tossing it above his tennis bag and glancing towards Seigaku's direction, his racquet resting against his shoulder. Over at Seigaku, Kenneth was looking into Kevin's initial direction as well, and sparks could almost be seen flying from both their eyes.

The showdown between the two brothers is about to begin.


	46. A Tale of Two Twins

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Forty Six: A Tale of Two Twins**

_Morita Hospital  
__Tokyo District_

A slight breeze blew through the air, slightly ruffling the hair of the two teens standing at the wire fence which enclosed the rooftop of the hospital, both looking in the same direction which coincidentally also happens to be where the finals of the Kantou tournament was currently being held.

"It's about time," said Rika at last after a long pause, gripping the grooves of the wire fence with her currently only useable hand – her right hand.

Shiki nodded. "Yeah."

"Last year, it's us who are in singles one in the Kantou tournament. This year, it's Kevin and…" Rika trailed off, and Shiki sighed.

That was one match which he had hoped wouldn't take place during the finals of the Kantou tournament. It might sound a little ridiculous, seeing as how he's Seigaku's buchou, but he would rather that his own team lose against Rikkaidai then have both Kevin and Kenneth go against each other in a match.

Shiki sighed, suddenly looking older than he really was. "…Kenneth," he muttered. He then turned towards Rika. "Both twins will be playing against each other. But this isn't just a match to them, and you know it. It's much more."

Rika sighed. "I'm worried," she admitted. "I never thought that I'll actually see the day when Kenneth and Kevin actually face each other in a match. And it's even worse now especially since I can't be there at the match! A few years ago, there was some trouble with Kenneth when we were in America. I kicked his ass in tennis, and he hadn't bothered us since. Kenneth is strong even without him using the Spartan Tennis style. He's a National class player. That is a fact."

Shiki looked at Rika with concern. "Did Kevin and Kenneth play against each other before?"

Rika sighed and nodded. "Yeah. That was back when we're kids. They played against each other all the time back then. That's before their parents divorced, and Kevin's mother died, and before their father was sent to prison," she said.

Shiki looked at Rika. "And how many times did Kevin win?" he asked carefully, already knowing the answer to that question, but still wanted to hear it from Rika's lips.

Rika sighed, looking a little downcast. "None," she replied before turning back towards Shiki, a serious look in her eyes. "Even back from when we're kids, Kevin had never won against Kenneth once. Seriously, I'm not sure if Kevin can even win. Which school will win this year…?" Rika turned back towards the direction of the courts where the finals of the Kantou tournament was currently taking place. "…I really have no idea."

Shiki sighed. "Yeah. Me too," he admitted. "We both knew that tennis matches are extremely unpredictable."

There was a long silence as the two looked in the direction where the finals of the Kantou tournament was currently being held before Rika broke the silence. "…it's not fair, is it?" she said, a grim smile on her face before fading away again. "A stupid car accident can have the chance to destroy both our tennis careers."

Shiki sighed. "This…is life, I guess," he said hesitantly. "Life is never fair."

"I guess." Rika mused. "It's just not fair. I want to play tennis again." She gripped onto the grooves of the wire fence with her right hand. "With everyone else. I'm going to get through with this operation. For sure."

Shiki smiled and nodded. "Me too," he said. "We'll meet again in the Nationals…" He looked at Rika. "…with both of us at the helm of our teams. That's a promise." He clenched his right hand into a fist and held it before him before Rika smiled and bumped fists with him.

"Yeah."

The door to the rooftop swung opened with a creak just then, and both Rika and Shiki turned only to see one of the nurses in charge of their rehabilitation and treatment during their one month stay in the hospital standing at the door, holding a clipboard in her right hand.

"There they are." The nurse muttered to herself before raising her voice so that Rika and Shiki can hear her. "Rika-kun! Shinderui-kun! It's time! Return to your rooms now. We have to prep you for your operations soon."

Rika and Shiki exchanged looks before turning back towards the nurse and nodding as one.

"Hai."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Kantou Regional Finals  
__Tokyo District_

The final match of singles one taking place between Rikkaidai and Seigaku was currently on hold as Rikkaidai's captain, Kirihara Akaya, was speaking with some of the authorities at the tent where the two schools had gone to report their individual teams' arrival earlier before the match. The rest of the Rikkaidai regulars were waiting a little way away from the tent, speaking in low tones with each other, with all of them save for Kevin having pulled on their tennis jackets, and their tennis bags were hanging from their shoulders.

"What's going on over there?" Ishida of Fudomine wondered, glancing over at where the Rikkaidai team was currently gathered.

"Rikkaidai's vice-captain is scheduled for a surgery today." Kamio answered, glancing towards Rikkaidai as well. "They're probably going to see her."

Mori blinked. "Their vice-captain?"

"Yeah," said Ann with a nod. "She was involved in the same accident with Seigaku's buchou about a month ago, and both their surgeries were being held at the same time today. But Rika's surgery is more complicated with more risks. If it fails…that girl can never play tennis again."

Uchimura blinked. "So that's why Rikkaidai seems to be rushing through all their matches today," he muttered. "They're rushing to the hospital." He glanced towards Seigaku's side. "And that also explains why Seigaku is missing their assistant coach today."

Ann nodded. "Their assistant coach is Rika's older brother," she explained. "He's probably at the hospital right now."

**

* * *

**"That's how it is," said Kirihara, sounding rather apologetic as he bowed his head to Ryuzaki who had been summoned to the authorities' tent a few moments earlier after the authorities had given the okay for the Rikkaidai team to leave. "I'm very sorry about it."

"I see," said Ryuzaki, her arms folded across her chest. "Well, I understand the situation. I will be praying that Rika's operation goes well too."

"Thank you very much!"

Kirihara then made his way towards where his team stood waiting whilst Ryuzaki went back to the Seigaku team. "We can leave for the hospital now," said the Rikkaidai captain before glancing at his watch. "If we head over there now, we might still be able to make it in time." He glanced at Kevin before turning back to the rest of his team. "I've spoken to Rika two days ago regarding the singles one match if it ever takes place. She wants one of us to stay here with Kevin during the match."

The rest of the team blinked owlishly save for Haruki who is half-leaning on Takahiro because of his injury, one hand holding onto his head, feeling quite woozy and quite faint.

"The fukubuchou did?" asked Hikaru curiously, and Kirihara nodded.

"Originally, Haruki is supposed to stay with Kevin, but…" Kirihara trailed off as he glanced at Haruki, followed by the rest of the team, the said teen in question looking as if he was about to pass out at any second because of his injury. "So, any volunteers?"

There was silence for a few moments before Ryou sighed, causing everyone to turn towards him. "I'll stay then," he said, and everyone stared. He sighed. "Don't worry, I won't fall asleep during the match. Go. Stay with the fukubuchou for us."

Kirihara nodded. "I'll be counting on you for the singles one match, Kevin," he said, looking towards the blonde in question, and Kevin nodded. "Don't hold back." He glanced at the rest of his team. "Let's go."

The rest of the team nodded, and after exchanging words of encouragement and good luck with Kevin, they turned to leave. Takahiro who was trailing behind the rest of the team was suddenly stopped in his tracks by Kevin.

"Takahiro!"

Takahiro turned just in time to see a yellow and black tennis jacket falling from the sky into his face which he managed to catch with his quick reflexes, and the Chessmaster blinked in confusion and turned to see Kevin without his jacket on, a semi-grim expression on his face.

"Give that to Rika."

"I understand," said Takahiro with a smirk, holding up Kevin's jacket. "I'll tell her that you will definitely win, and that you wouldn't let the rest of us down. She'll get through the operation without failure, that's why…you have to keep fighting as well."

Kevin nodded.

"Of course."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Morita Hospital  
__Tokyo District_

Rika looked out of the window of her hospital room, staring at seemingly nothing in particular, her mind occupied with the singles one match of the finals of the Kantou tournament currently taking place between Rikkaidai and Seigaku. If truth be told, she really has no idea if Kevin can win or not.

There was a knock on the opened door of her hospital room just then, and Rika turned only to see the same nurse from before with a clipboard in one hand at the door.

"Rika-kun. It's nearly time."

Rika nodded.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Concert Hall  
__Tokyo District_

There was a round of applause from the audience sitting in the seats as Satochi Riku finished his second violin piece of Canon in D Major by Johann Pachelbel. The silver-haired teen bowed politely to the audience which is customary for every musician after each musical piece played, and he could see several music critics as well as the judges of the competition looking extremely impressed, and he was slightly relieved at this as it meant that he had a fairly good chance of winning the competition.

Somewhere in the seats, Riku caught sight of Seika who was smiling a little, and he smiled as well before placing his violin to his chin, recalling what his best friend had said months ago when he was brainstorming for the musical pieces to play at this particular competition.

_Why don't you play The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi? That's one of my favourites among the violin pieces, and from what I've heard, it's not easy to play as well._

Riku smiled to himself as he adjusted the strings of his violin before beginning to play the beginning notes of Antonio Vivaldi's The Four Seasons: Winter, thinking to himself all the while.

'_Rika. This song is for you. That's why__…you can't give up. Everyone is waiting for you to return.'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_We will now begin the singles one match of the Kantou finals."_

Ryou who was sitting in the bleachers of Rikkaidai Fuzoku swore to himself that winter had almost came early as the temperature seemed to have dropped several degrees in the court as Kevin and Kenneth who were both getting ready to head to the courts exchanged looks, sparks nearly flying from both their eyes.

"_Always win, Rikkaidai!"_

"_Let's go! Let's go! Rikkaidai!"_

Kaidoh stopped Kenneth just before he headed to the courts, hissing like an angry snake all the while. "Listen, Kenneth," said the Seigaku's fukubuchou dangerously. "One toe out of line, and we'll forfeit the singles one match…screw the championship. Is that clear?"

Kenneth smirked and shrugged Kaidoh's hand off before making his way towards the court where Kevin stood waiting at the net, an unnaturally grim look on his face, resting his racquet against his shoulder.

"Two wins and two losses," said Igawaki Haruse grimly, his arms folded across his chest, looking at the players of singles one from Seigaku and Rikkaidai respectively. "This match will determine the winner."

Ann exchanged worried looks with Kamio as she fiddled about with her fingers nervously, feeling a sense of dread rise up in her before looking back towards the courts where Kevin and Kenneth were, both having just tossed for sides, with Kevin having first service.

"Kevin-kun…be careful."

**

* * *

**Ryou nearly groaned to himself as he watched the two twins try to kill the other with their eyes alone on the courts, resisting the urge to just pull his hair out.

"What is this…rather ominous atmosphere?" he muttered to himself.

Back on the courts, Kenneth finally broke the three minute staring mark, a smirk on his face. "Never expect to meet you in a match, Kevin."

Kevin's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Don't play dumb with me," he hissed. "You know as well as I do that we'll both be in singles one with your captain and the vice-captain of my team both currently in the hospital."

Ryou sighed to himself. "He's really scary…" he muttered to himself. "Our tactician."

Kenneth lost the smile on his face just then as he narrowed his eyes dangerously at Kevin. "Is this for revenge?" he asked. "You playing against me?"

Kevin didn't smile or anything as he looked back at Kenneth unsmilingly. "You may be right, Kenneth," he said, a dangerous tone in his voice. "I _do _hate Dad for what he had done to Mom. But Rika said something to me once a long time ago that I've never forgotten. 'Tennis mustn't be used as a tool to breed hatred.'" He breathed in and looked at Kenneth. "I would never forgive Dad for what he had done. You may say that I hate him. But there's one thing that I hate even more." Kevin half-turned in his step to head to his serving position on the court, turning his head to look at his twin, a grim expression on his face. "I hate losing even more." He smirked. "…let's play."

**

* * *

**"_One set match! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Smith to serve!"_

'_Rika__…' _Kevin thought as he gripped the tennis ball in his right hand with his racquet in his left hand, staring across the court at his twin who was standing in the receiving spot. Out of the corner of his eye, Kevin saw that majority of the seniors of the Seigaku regulars were all exchanging worried looks with each other. _'Seems like I won't be able to make it to the surgery, but I will keep the promise that we made to you. I __**will **__deliver the championship medal to you.'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Morita Hospital  
__Tokyo District_

The sounds of running footsteps pattered down the hallways of the hospital as the Rikkaidai team rushed towards the operating room where their vice-captain is scheduled to have her operation in a matter of minutes.

Takahiro who was currently at the lead of the group spotted Rika first of all who was being wheeled on a gurney by two of the assistant doctors who would be helping Rika's doctor with the operation, just mere moments away from entering the operating room.

"Rika!"

The assistant doctors stopped as the Rikkaidai team rushed up to Rika who had just been administered some anaesthetic a few moments earlier to keep her asleep during the operation, the medicine slowly starting to kick in.

"Everyone…"

"Looks like we've just made it in time," said Hikaru breathlessly, trying to catch his breath back. He smiled brightly at Rika. "Do your best, fukubuchou. Let's play tennis again sometime soon."

Rika nodded before looking towards Takahiro. "Where are Kevin and Ryou?"

"Right here," said Takahiro, holding up the tennis jacket that Kevin had given him just before they had left for the hospital. "And I have a message from him. 'I will definitely win the match, and the championship will be ours, and I wouldn't let the rest of you down.'" Takahiro smirked. "That's the message."

Rika smiled and nodded before the two assistant doctors wheeled Rika into the operating room, and the Rikkaidai team noticed the presences of Rika's brother and cousin as well as Sora just then. Ryoga and Nanako were both sitting in the chairs next to the vending machines whilst Sora was leaning against the wall next to them, his arms crossed over his chest, a portable radio just sticking out of his pocket, the earphones in his ears. All three of them were in casual clothing.

"Sora?" Takahiro blinked as he saw the brunette.

Sora looked at them and pulled one of the earphones out of his ears. "Riku is having a music competition today," he answered the unasked question. "I told him that I'll be with Rika during her operation so that he wouldn't worry too much. Seika-chan has gone to cheer him on."

Takahiro nodded as the doors of the operating room slammed shut and the red light which said 'Operation' was turned on above the doors of the operating room.

The rest of the team exchanged looks before sitting in the chairs or even leaning against the wall, not one of them failing to notice that Ryoga and Nanako didn't even seem to have noticed their arrivals, both of them looking extremely nervous and worried.

Takahiro glanced at the doors of the operating room whilst leaning against the wall next to Sora, his arms crossed over his chest, feeling slightly anxious and worried about Rika's operation – the fukubuchou of his team, and even though he wouldn't admit it, his best friend.

The silver-haired teen pulled a portable radio out of his tennis bag before tuning into the radio channel which was currently covering the coverage of the finals of the Kantou tournament, placing the earphones into his ears to keep himself and the rest of the team updated on the match.

'_Kevin__…the rest is up to you now,' _thought Takahiro.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The tennis ball rolled away slowly from the back of the court.

Everyone – Rikkaidai and Seigaku included – were shocked and horrified at the scene before them.

Kevin was sitting on the ground, clutching at his knee, biting on his lower lip to prevent himself from crying out in pain, a bruise visible on his knee. Kaidoh and the rest of the seniors of Seigaku were standing up from their places in Seigaku's bleachers, anger and horror visible on all their faces, and even Ryuzaki paled.

"Kenneth! You bastard…!" Kaidoh growled low in his throat, clenching one hand into a fist in rage. "How could you…!"

"Kevin…!" Ryou muttered, paling considerably, both hands placed atop the barricades of Rikkaidai's bleachers, with his hands curling into tight fists, turning his knuckles white.

"Stop it…Kevin-kun…" Ann whimpered, staring with wide eyes at the scene before her. "Those two are brothers, aren't they? How can he hurt his own brother like this?"

"G-Game! Seigaku's Smith! 3-3!"

Ryou paled considerably, an unnaturally angry expression in his eyes which was unusual for the usually lazy brunette, a look of horror on his face.

"Kevin!" Ryou shouted to his teammate. "I knew it…! This is too much! Let's stop—"

"Don't stop the match!" Kevin shouted back to Ryou, pushing himself to his feet. "Don't stop the match…no matter what!"

Ryou stared with wide eyes. He had never seen this side of Kevin before. "Kevin…"

Ann stared with pained eyes. "Kevin-kun…"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Morita Hospital  
__Tokyo District_

Shuu approached Takahiro who was leaning against the wall, listening to the recent updates of the going-ons of the singles one match of the finals of the Kantou tournament between Kenneth and Kevin. "Takahiro. How is it going?" asked Shuu curiously.

Takahiro glanced at Shuu and nodded slightly. "It's going well," he lied, not wanting the rest of the team to be sent into panic mode should they find out that Kevin isn't exactly in the best of shapes right at this moment. Shuu nodded, not really believing Takahiro, but walked away from him, and the Chessmaster looked at the doors of the operating room, his fingers fiddling together nervously. _'Come on, Kevin__… Rika's fighting too.'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Smith! 4-3!"

Kenneth smirked, tapping the frame of his racquet against his shoulder. "What? You can play after all," he said as he looked at his panting twin. "You've improved, little brother."

Kevin only glared.

**

* * *

**"Is his knee…alright?" asked Ann carefully, lowering her hands down from her mouth where she's been covering it with both hands to prevent herself from screaming out loud during the match, staring with wide eyes at Kevin.

"Kevin-san has been using the split-step throughout the entire match ever since he had gotten injured," explained Kamio. "Tachibana-san had mentioned it to us once that it can reduce the strain and burden on an injured limb."

**

* * *

**_Seven Years Ago_

_Point._

"_Game and match! Won by Rika. Six games to four," said Yakiwa Yuki in a semi-bored tone, playing as referee for the match for her two best friends, all three of them having a game of tennis in the tennis courts of their grade school._

"_I lost again," said Kevin with a sigh as himself and Rika walked towards Yuki who tossed them a bottle of water each. "I can never win against you, Rika."_

_Rika smiled. "Better luck next time then," she teased, and Kevin pouted._

"_Kevin!"_

_Blinking, all three turned to see a blonde kid who looks a lot like Kevin standing at the entrance of the tennis courts. "Kenneth__…" Kevin muttered before he turned towards Rika and Yuki. "I'll see you both tomorrow."_

_Rika and Yuki both nodded dumbly as they watched Kevin walk away._

**

* * *

**Kevin panted heavily as he gripped tightly onto the tennis ball in his hand, glancing at his twin, his knee throbbing a little with pain, but he ignored it. He's suffered plenty of injuries in the past – some worse than this – when his father was teaching him and his twin the Spartan Tennis style.

The Spartan Tennis style…

It's truly scary…

'_It's no use. I can't beat him by using normal methods. Other than Rika and Yuki, Kenneth is the only other person who knew my tennis style like the back of his hand especially since we practically grew up on tennis itself.' _Kevin thought, staring at the ball in his right hand. He sighed. _'I have no choice. I have to try using Rika's ESP tennis on him. It's never worked before, but this time__…' _He looked at his twin, a determined look in his eyes. _'I __**have **__to make it work!'_

**

* * *

**_Flashback Starts:_

"_Ite__…" Kevin winced in pain as a stray tennis ball from the tennis ball machine hit him in the arm, causing quite a bruise. "Why can't it work?!"_

_Rika who was watching Kevin get attacked by tennis balls from the ball machines sighed to herself tiredly. "Like I've been telling you right from the start, Kev, not everyone can use ESP tennis," she said, exasperated. "It took me over eight months just to master the damn thing."_

"_It's not a matter of want or not, Rika!" said Kevin, turning towards his childhood friend with exasperation. "It's the only way to beat Kenneth! You know as well as I do that normal methods won't work on him! He knows my style of tennis better than anyone else save for you! I can't beat him with my usual methods!"_

_Rika stared at Kevin before sighing and picking up her tennis racquet before walking towards Kevin and picking up a tennis ball among the hundreds of balls scattered all around them. "__…I understand," she said. "I'll teach you how to do it. My ESP tennis." She pressed a tennis ball into Kevin's hand. "But bear in mind that not everyone can use it. I'll show you how to use ESP tennis. Following that…" She glanced at Kevin. "…the rest is up to you."_

**

* * *

**"_Nani? It won't work?" Rika echoed as Kevin nodded._

_The two were currently on the rooftop of the hospital, with Kevin having came straight to the hospital after school, even skipping training as he needed to ask Rika something, and Kirihara had agreed to let him off training for that day._

"_I've been working on the ESP tennis," said Kevin. "It simply won't work."_

_Rika sighed. "That's why I told you not to get your hopes up," she said, and Kevin smiled weakly. "When I was training on my own ESP tennis style, Seiichi had told me that not everyone can use it. Even Niou-sempai can only use a variation of ESP tennis which is where he got the nickname of the 'Trickster' from."_

_Kevin blinked. "His imitation ability?" he asked, and Rika nodded._

"_But on the other hand__…" Rika trailed off, frowning slightly as she thought deeply. "In your case, your ESP tennis __**might **__only work on Kenneth." She looked at Kevin who looked slightly confused, and she sighed. "Look Kevin, have you heard about twin bonds?"_

_Kevin blinked owlishly. "Twin…bonds?"_

_Rika nodded. "It's a mysterious bond only found between twins," she said. "They know and feel everything that their twin does. That's probably also the reason why Hikari and Hikaru can play so well as a doubles combination…playing like they were one single entity." She glanced at Kevin. "You and Kenneth are twins as well. And even though you hadn't lived or spoken to him for over five years, the fact still didn't change that you're twins, and the both of you were extremely close once upon a time. This is just my view, mind you, but I think that you can probably use a form of ESP tennis on him because of your twin bond." She looked away. "I'm not sure if it will actually work though…but it's worth a try."_

_Flashback Ends:_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Clang._

"G-Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Smith! 5-4!"

Kevin blinked owlishly as he looked closely at his twin and saw that his eyes were unfocused. Taking away the sight of the opponent is the only thing that he had practiced so far. Rika had actually trained for _months _just to learn how to shut off her opponent's five senses, but Kevin himself had only learned for about a month how to use ESP tennis.

'_It__…actually worked?' _Kevin wondered, staring at Kenneth in disbelief.

Back in Rikkaidai's bleachers, Ryou's eyes was wide with wonder. "ESP…tennis?" he nearly muttered to himself. "The fukubuchou's tennis style? You have to be joking…"

"Seems like you really have some tricks up your sleeve, Kevin," said Kenneth calmly, getting down on one knee, and feeling around with his right hand for the tennis ball before grasping it and getting to his feet. "But merely shutting off my sight is not enough. You should know this better than anyone else as well. Players like yourself, me and Rika…we were trained to use our other senses other than our sight when we play."

Kevin growled low in his throat. He knew that better than anyone else since he'd already lost count the number of times when he had seen Nanjirou play against Rika and Ryoga both with both his eyes closed, and still managing to kick their asses with 6-0.

'_I have no choice. I have to take a gamble with this,' _thought Kevin, looking at Kenneth. _'I've seen how Rika used her ESP tennis style countless times to shut off her opponent's hearing. Maybe if I just imitate what she did__…I might be able to do the same on Kenneth as well.'_

Kenneth was serving, and as the ball entered Kevin's court, he returned it with a semi-fast return which Kenneth was quick to receive, relying completely on his hearing. Unlike what most people thought, ESP tennis isn't easy to use. There's a reason why only one in a billion can use that style.

ESP tennis includes the player itself focusing on willpower and mental energy alone, and the player itself _must _have unusually strong senses in order to use it successfully. Rika had no problem with it since her senses have been honed strong ever since she was a child, and she managed to master her ESP tennis style after _months _of insane training.

"I'm sorry, Kenneth!" Kevin shouted as he reached the ball and served it back to Kenneth, the cheerleaders from Seigaku and Rikkaidai respectively cheering themselves hoarse. "I can't lose here! I _cannot_ afford to lose here! That's why…forgive me for what I'm about to do, Brother!"

Kenneth staggered in shock in his step at Kevin's words before he froze in shock as the sounds surrounding him suddenly dimmed out. It was like he was listening to a radio which volume was slowly being tuned down from max to silent.

'_W-What? My hearing__… I can't hear anything! Did Kevin progress this far with his ESP tennis already?'_

The older Smith twin then sensed a mobile object flying towards him before he made his way towards the direction and returned the ball, and Kevin's eyes widened in shock as Kenneth returned the ball.

'_Even when I shut off his hearing and sight, he can still return the ball?!' _Kevin thought in disbelief. _'My ESP tennis is only limited to shutting off his hearing and his sight.' _Kevin smiled slightly. _'You're truly scary, Brother. I'm really sorry about this, but I __**can't**__ lose here!'_

**

* * *

**_Flashback Starts:_

"_Huh? Sanada-fukubuchou's Invisible Swing?" Rika echoed as she played with Karupin by teasing the Himalayan cat with a cat-toy, being seated on the front porch of the Echizen residence._

_Kevin who was seated next to her whilst watching Rika play with Karupin nodded solemnly. "Yeah," he said. "Can you teach me that? You knew how to use it, don't you? I might need it if I ever have to face Kenneth in the future. And if Seigaku kept winning all their matches like this, we'll face them again sooner or later."_

_Rika sighed and placed the cat-toy before Karupin, with the Himalayan cat giving out a disappointed meow. "Kevin, aren't you getting a little too ahead of yourself?" she asked. "Even if Seigaku did make it to the finals and ended up facing us, I don't think that Shiki will put him in the tournament at all."_

"_Regardless, I'll rather learn an extra skill or two," said Kevin stubbornly, and Rika sighed._

"_Go and get your racquet and meet me in the courts," said Rika, taking her racquet from out of nowhere. "And if my hunch is right, you might very well have to be nursed for injuries at the nearest clinic once I'm done with you."_

_Flashback Ends:_

**

* * *

**"0-15!"

Kenneth gave a gasp as he sensed the tennis ball rolling away from the back of his court, and the entire court fell silent as the referee announced the score. Over at Seigaku's side, all the regulars were stunned into silence.

"I-Is there something wrong with my eyes?" Igawaki Haruse spoke at last. "I didn't see him swing his racquet."

"It isn't your eyes," said Kayama Shuuri, his eyes wide with shock. "Me too."

Kenneth was getting ready to serve once more, and Kevin lifted the 'seal' on Kenneth's hearing as he used the Invisible Swing once more, and Kenneth froze as he heard the sound of the tennis ball rolling away from the back of the court.

"0-30!"

"W-What is that?" Kenneth muttered. "You've got such a skill up your sleeve?"

"Kenneth, when I've heard that you've returned to Japan, I've been training non-stop since I knew that there will come a day when I might have to face you in a match," said Kevin solemnly. "Unlike in America, I _will not _run any longer. I've told you before and I will tell you again. I'm no longer the same person whom you once knew. And my skills have grown stronger."

Kenneth smirked. "Well, little brother. Mine too," he said, and he served. It seems to Kenneth that he's heard the sound of the ball entering his court and rolling away from the back of the court the moment that he'd served as the referee announced the score.

"0-40! Match point!"

**

* * *

**"Come on, Kevin…" muttered Ryou, not realising that his nails are biting into his skin as he was gripping the sides of his arms so tightly. "Just one more point…! Come on! You can do it! Rika is fighting too!"

**

* * *

**Over with Fudomine's side, Ann had clasped both her hands into a prayer position, silently praying for Kevin's victory.

"Kevin-kun…" Ann muttered. "Ganbatte!"

Next to her, Kamio was praying like never before. "Kevin-san, you can do it!" muttered the Fudomine's captain.

**

* * *

**"This is the last point, Kevin." Kenneth called out, the tennis ball in his left hand, ready to serve. "Show me what you've got. Show me that you can return this serve. Show me your resolve. And prove to me that you're no longer the kid that runs away from everything!"

And Kenneth's racquet impacted with the ball which flew into the court before spinning furiously onto the ground, and Kevin's eyes widened. He had only seen this ball once when Ryoga had shown Rika and himself the more advanced version of the Twist Serve. But younger players are advised against using it as it can break their shoulder and ruin their tennis career for eternity.

'_The Twister Serve?!' _Kevin thought as he got ready to return it. He knew the Twist Serve and knew how to return it, but the Twister Serve is another matter entirely. But no matter what, he _has _to return this shot.

The ball impacted with Kevin's racquet, and the blonde grabbed his racquet with both hands, feeling the impact and the power of the serve. _'You're really strong, Kenneth,' _thought Kevin. _'To think that you can actually serve a shot like this even when I've shut off your sight! I'm sorry, Brother, but I can't let you win here! I'm no longer the kid that runs away from everything, and the one whom you are always protecting when we're kids!'_

And he returned the ball.

The tennis ball hit the top of the net before flying slightly up into the air and falling back onto the net again before it tilted slightly and fell into Kenneth's side of the court.

Silence reigned.

"Game and match! Game won by Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Smith! Six games to four!"

Kevin let out a sigh of relief as the cheers from Rikkaidai as well as their supporters nearly tore through the roof, startling several birds into flight from the nearby trees.

He's won the match.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Concert Hall  
__Tokyo District_

"…and now, we are pleased to announce the winner of the International Musical Tournament." The announcer spoke over the megaphone, and Riku who was currently backstage was shaking nervously, along with every other participant. "After much discussion among the judges, they have decided on the winner who had managed to touch the hearts and souls of the audience as well as the judges with his music. Therefore, I'm pleased to announce that the winner of the International Musical Tournament is Riku Satochi from Japan!"

Riku was stunned as applause suddenly echoed throughout the concert hall, and he is only half-aware of several of the musicians pushing him gently from backstage to the stage to receive the trophy as well as the certified certificate from the International Music Society.

It was almost like a dream during those few precious moments until he was back in the backstage, with all the musicians who had participated in the tournament congratulating him on his win. He was only half-aware of himself when he changed out of his tuxedo and sat backstage in a daze for several moments.

And it wasn't until Seika came to the backstage that he came back to his senses once more. He had won a lot of competitions, but he wasn't really sure of his chances of winning this particular one since plenty of geniuses and prodigies took part in this competition.

"Congratulations, Riku-sempai," said Seika with a smile. "But…isn't it about time?"

Riku blinked before finally remembering just what he is so anxious about that day. "Rika's operation!" he nearly exclaimed before picking up his violin case and his bag. "Let's go!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kenneth sighed as he held out a hand for Kevin to shake after the prize giving ceremony with only Ryou and Kevin being the representatives for Rikkaidai. When Kevin took his hand, Kenneth smiled. A real smile this time. One that Kevin hadn't seen ever since they were kids, and with Seigaku, their members exchanged looks with each other as something with Kenneth seemed to have changed with his defeat to Kevin.

"I lost," said Kenneth simply. "Fair and square." Kenneth smiled. "You've grown strong, little brother."

Kevin managed a weak smile as he released Kenneth's hand. "Hey…Brother… Back then, with Dad…I—"

"Stop it," said Kenneth with a sigh, and Kevin stared. "It's not your fault. I've realised that now. No…" Kenneth looked away for a few moments. "I knew that right from the start." He turned back towards Kevin. "I never blamed you at all, Kevin. Not once. I did at first. But then, I realised…it's foolish of me. I'm actually hating and blaming someone who had nothing to do with the entire affair. I've seen how Dad treats you and Mom back then. I don't blame Rika for getting so mad back then." He smiled. "Congratulations, little brother. You've managed to defeat me at last."

Kevin blinked. "Kenneth…"

Kenneth sighed before he looked into the sky. "I have a lot of apologising to do, don't I?" he muttered, yet it was loud enough for the entire regular team of Seigaku to hear. "What I did…I'm no better than Dad. Maybe…I was acting that way because I don't want to think of a life without Dad. He's not the best father in the world, but he _is_ still our father. I…"

"Kenneth, if I may speak frankly, maybe we're both better off with a life without Dad," said Kevin bluntly, and Kenneth turned towards him with surprised eyes. "I went to visit him in prison last year when I was in New York with Rika during the US Open. He didn't seem to think that he's done anything wrong. If our positions are ever switched back then…I'm fairly certain that he would have done the same to you what he's done to me as well."

Kenneth managed a weak smile. "Maybe so," he said. "Things will be changing soon enough."

Kevin blinked. "Kenneth…"

"Someone's waiting for you, isn't there?" said Kenneth suddenly, and Kevin blinked in confusion. Kenneth smiled. "Go, little brother. She's waiting. And tell her that I'll come and visit her if I can. That is if she allows me to."

The sides of Kevin's lips twitched slightly. "Kenneth, we'll meet again in the Nationals," he said before turning and heading towards Ryou who was currently in Rikkaidai's bleachers. "Let's go!"

Kenneth smiled as he eyed his brother's departing back. _'You've grown strong, Kevin,' _he thought. _'You're no longer the same whiny kid that I remembered who is always getting protected. I protected you when we're kids. After that, it's Yuki and Rika. You're no longer running away from things. I'm proud of you, little brother.'_

Halfway out of the tennis courts, Kevin can't help thinking back on Kenneth's words, and frowned to himself as both himself and Ryou rushed towards Morita Hospital.

'_Somehow… I can't help feeling like Kenneth let me win on purpose…'_

And it might be Kevin's imagination, but he could have sworn that he heard Yuki's light laughter in the air.

* * *

_**Upcoming Stories:**_

_**Blue Moon (Prince of Tennis)**_

_FemRyo. Echizen Rika and Yukimura Seiichi are the former leaders of squad Zero – the highest ranks that a shinigami could reach – who had deserted their home and had discarded their lives as shinigamis when everything that Soul Society and the King had done goes against what they had stood for. Now, nearly five hundred years later, the two were the leaders of the Vizards, and when Soul Society got wind of their existences, the two of them, along with the Vizards, have to take up arms once more to defend their homes as well as the friends that they've made in Phoenix Star Academy. Prince of Tennis/Bleach crossover._


	47. Don't Give Up, Takahiro!

Thank you for the reviews! Also, I've been receiving a few complaints about my grammar…or lack thereof for this story. And I feel that I owe it to my readers to at least explain the reason why. Grammar isn't exactly my strongest point in English, and I usually made tons of grammar mistakes writing essays when I was still in school. And if anyone is asking why I don't just ask a beta reader to check over my story, the reason being that I used to have one, but as she took a hell of a time to get back to me, I've quite given up on having a beta reader. My suggestion is this: if you find any mistakes whatsoever in my story, just let me know via a PM or a review, preferably the latter, and I'll amend my story as soon as I can.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Forty Seven: Don't Give Up, Takahiro!**

_Morita Hospital  
__Tokyo District_

Kevin and Ryou arrived outside the operating room where Rika is scheduled to have her operation that day only to see the rest of the Rikkaidai team all gathered outside together with Ryoga, Nanako and Sora. The former two were fidgeting about nervously in their seats whilst Sora was leaning against the wall next to the vending machine, listening to a portable radio which was currently sticking out of his pocket.

Everyone present save for Ryoga and Nanako looked up as Kevin and Ryou arrived, both panting heavily, a sheet of sweat covering their bodies. "Kevin has won the match." Ryou informed the team, answering the unasked question. "We've won the Kantou championship." And he held up the bag which contained the championship medals for each member of the team.

"We know," said Shuu with a nod. "Takahiro had been listening to the latest updates of the Kantou championship match between Rikkaidai and Seigaku."

Ryou glanced at the surgery doors which were still shut, and the red light of the sign above the surgery doors which read 'Operation' was still on before turning back towards his best friend. "The fukubuchou is not out yet?" he asked, and Shuu shook his head. "How long has it been going on?"

Shuu gave a light shrug. "Approximately an hour, give or take a few minutes," he said.

Ryou nodded before letting his gaze fell on Haruki who had a bandage covering his wound along with a bandage around his forehead, looking as if he should be in the hospital's ICU unit because of his pale face. "Haruki, are you okay?"

"I'm okay," said Haruki with a light shrug, gently touching the bandage around his eye. "It's just a small injury. But the doctor wants to keep me overnight in the hospital for observation because I've gotten a concussion."

"The sempais will be coming over later," said Kirihara, speaking up, and the team turned towards their captain. "I've gotten a call from Yagyuu-sempai earlier. Something about aniki wanting to keep them back in school for training after they've watched our match earlier." He chuckled lightly. "Yukimura-buchou isn't too happy about it."

Kevin snorted. "No shit."

There was the sound of pattering footsteps just then, and the Rikkaidai team blinked and turned before seeing Riku and Seika running up to them, both panting slightly, a bag hoisted on Riku's back.

"She's still inside, Riku," said Sora, nodding to his best friend. He then smiled. "Congratulations on your win." Riku raised an eyebrow before Sora took out his portable radio from his pocket with the earphones wound around it. "I've heard it all. Your music pieces. It's the best that you've ever played. It's a pity that Rika didn't get to hear it though."

"No worries," chirped Seika. "I've recorded it all down."

A very small smile graced Takahiro's lips just then as he looked at Riku. But before he could say anything, the doors of the surgery room opened just then, and the light of the sign above the doors which read 'Operation' was turned off, and the doctor walked out of the surgery room, undoing one side of his surgical mask before stripping off the gloves on his hands, and he was immediately surrounded by Rika's brother and cousin, along with the entire Rikkaidai team.

"Doctor, how is my sister?!" Ryoga nearly demanded.

The doctor blinked owlishly at the sudden large group of people that had just gathered outside the surgery room before he composed himself and smiled at Ryoga and Nanako. "Don't worry." He assured Nanako and Ryoga. "The operation's a success." Ryoga and Nanako both gave out simultaneous sighs of relief, along with everyone else. "But we still need to keep Rika-kun in the hospital for a few weeks for physiotherapy for her to readjust to the movements of the muscles and nerves in her hand again."

Ryoga nodded. "Thank you, Doctor," he said before the doctor bowed to him politely before going on his way. He breathed a sigh of relief. "What a relief."

"We fulfilled our promise to the fukubuchou," said Hikari, smiling at his twin. "Now all that remains is—"

Whatever that Hikari had wanted to say, no one ever found out as there was a cry of pain from behind the rest of the team just then, and everyone turned around in alarm only to see Takahiro fall against the wall, trying to keep his balance by grabbing at the wall, his face as white as sheet, and biting on his lower lip to stop himself from crying out before he fainted.

"Takahiro!"

Riku and Sora were the first to reach the silver-haired teen with Kevin right behind them, just in time for Riku to catch Takahiro before he reached the floor.

"Takahiro! What's wrong?!"

"Oi! Don't scare us! If this is a joke, it's _not _funny!"

"Takahiro!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Room 314  
__Morita Hospital_

Rika blinked opened her eyes blearily only to see a fairly familiar white ceiling, and she groaned a little. She can also feel the after-effects of the anaesthetic used on her for the operation slowly wearing off, and glanced at her left hand only to see bandages wound about four inches down her wrist to the palm of her hand.

The curtains of the hospital room were also drawn, letting in only a trickle of sunlight, and Rika can distinctly hear the sounds of birds chirping, and whatever that she could see of the outside through the slight gap in between the curtains told her that it's probably late afternoon which means that it must have been hours ever since the operation.

"You're awake," said a voice, and Rika turned her head slightly only to see her boyfriend sitting in a chair by her bedside in casual clothing, smiling down at her. "How do you feel?"

Rika smiled back. "I'm just fine," she said, trying to sit up, and Yukimura assisted her by propping a pillow behind her back. "How did the operation go?"

"It's a success," said Yukimura with a smile. "But the doctors will still be keeping you in the hospital for a few weeks for physiotherapy treatment for you to get adjusted to using the muscles and nerves of your left hand again."

"What about the team?" asked Rika in concern. "How did the match go?"

"They've won," said Yukimura with a smile. "Kevin defeated Kenneth. Though it's a close call. Shinderui from Seigaku popped by a few minutes earlier when you were still asleep. His surgery succeeded as well."

"I see," said Rika with a smile. "That's good to hear."

"And…" Yukimura hesitated before looking at his girlfriend's questioningly look. "Rika, about Takahiro…"

"What about him?" asked Rika, feeling a sudden sense of dread rise up in her. "Did something happen to him?"

"He…just collapsed about two hours earlier. Just after your surgery ended," said Yukimura hesitantly, and Rika's eyes widened. "The doctor had to give him painkillers to help him deal with the pain. The rest of the team is currently in one of the waiting rooms of the hospital."

"Seiichi, help me up," said Rika, throwing the blankets aside and nearly ripping out the needle in her arm which was connected to the drip.

"What are you doing? You shouldn't be out of bed yet!" Yukimura nearly panicked before Rika's furious eyes bored right into him.

"Yukimura Seiichi. You are going to help me out of bed right now, and take me to wherever Takahiro and the rest of the team are, or so help me, I'm going to make whatever that aniki did to you back then look like _nothing_ compared to what I'm about to do!"

Yukimura gulped. "Y-Yes, Ma'am."

**

* * *

**Kevin is frustrated.

And so are the rest of the team.

Right after Takahiro had collapsed, some doctor had taken him to one of the spare rooms in the A&E department of the hospital before pulling out his medical files, and it had taken nearly an hour for Takahiro's assigned doctor to arrive, and it turned out to be none other than the uncle of last year's Seigaku's fukubuchou, Oishi Shuichirou.

And now, nearly the entire team was arguing with the doctor after he had told them calmly that he can't reveal Takahiro's medical condition to them under any circumstances without his or his medical proxy's permission.

"What do you mean by you can't tell us?!" Kevin demanded. "We're his teammates! And his parents are currently not in Japan! Just what is wrong with him?!"

Doctor Oishi sighed. "Kevin-kun, I understand your concern for your teammate, but when Tanaka-kun first came here, he had stated that under no circumstances must I reveal his condition to his teammates unless he or his medical proxy said that I could," said the doctor wearily.

"And just _who _is his medical proxy anyway?" asked Shuu irritably. "I've never heard of Takahiro having any other relations in Japan, and his parents are aboard right now. Unless it's his butler or something."

"No," said Doctor Oishi with a quick shake of his head, Takahiro's medical file in his hand. "He named Echizen Rika-kun as his medical proxy. Thus, we need her permission if we need to perform any treatments, operations or even to reveal his condition to you if Tanaka-kun is unable to do so."

The entire team save for Kirihara blinked owlishly. "The fukubuchou is his medical proxy?" The twins echoed together as one.

"Since when did that happen?" asked Ryou in astonishment. "I know that the fukubuchou and Takahiro are pretty good friends, but when did he name her as his medical proxy?"

"Besides, Rika is still asleep because of the anaesthetic," said Kevin with a frown on his face. "Can't you tell us without her permission?"

Doctor Oishi sighed. "I can't," he said firmly. "It's the hospital's regulations and rules as well as part of our doctor-patient confidentiality act. As Tanaka-kun's medical proxy, Rika-kun must be the one to give permission if he can't do it. And seeing as how she's currently not around right now—"

"Don't worry about it, Doctor Oishi," said a voice as the door of the room swung opened, and everyone looked up to see Rika being supported by Yukimura as she entered the room. "I'm here."

"Rika!"

"Fukubuchou!"

"Are you sure that you should be up?" asked Riku in concern, and Rika waved the concerns of her best friend away as Yukimura helped her to one of the couches in the room, seeing as how she can hardly stand on her own two feet because of the after-effects of the anaesthetic.

"I'm fine," said Rika curtly before she turned towards the doctor. "Doctor. Tell me the truth. How bad is it? How bad is his condition?"

Doctor Oishi sighed before turning towards Rika. "Will you give your permission for your friends to learn about Tanaka-kun's current condition?" he asked. "He did say that he didn't want any of his teammates save for yourself and Kirihara-kun to know about his current condition."

The rest of the Rikkaidai team, Yukimura, Seika, Riku and Sora turned confused looks to the mentioned two which Rika ignored, and Kirihara looked away, a worried look on his face.

Rika snorted. "Well, too bad now," she said. "Like it or not, the cat is out of the bag now." She sighed, exchanging looks with Kirihara before turning back towards the doctor. The rest of the occupants of the room were hanging onto her every word. "I've objected right from the start when Takahiro told me not to tell anyone else save for Kirihara because he's the team captain. I'm not willing to risk a teammate's medical condition and health being just for the sake for a match." She sighed, looking at the doctor. "Doctor Oishi. Tell me the truth. How bad is his condition? Isn't it under control?"

Yukimura frowned a little. He can tell from the conversation that whatever that Takahiro was suffering from, he had been suffering from it for a long time now, and Rika and Kirihara are the only ones who knew about it.

Doctor Oishi sighed. "His condition is pretty bad," he said. "Two weeks ago, when he came here for his treatment, I've already told him about his condition, and that it's best if he could go in for surgery immediately. But he refused. He knew that it might cost him his ability to walk ever again, but he still refused to go in for the operation."

The eyes of everyone present save for Rika and Kirihara widened. Rika's expression darkened. "I see," she said, her voice not betraying any emotion. "And his current condition?"

Doctor Oishi sighed. "His tendinitis is getting worse," he stated, and the eyes of the entire team widened in shock. As tennis players, all of them knew what tendinitis is. It's the worst thing for any athlete to be inflicted with, save for perhaps myositis. "It's gotten so serious to the point that he can't even walk now without nearly blacking out with the pain. The tendons around his ankle are severely inflamed. We have to prep him for immediate surgery if you would give the permission."

"Wait a moment!" said Kevin angrily, standing up and turning towards Rika. "I'm not hearing things, am I? Takahiro has been inflicted with tendinitis? Chronic tendinitis?! Both of you knew about it—" He glanced from Kirihara to Rika. "—and you never told us?!"

"He told us not to tell you," said Rika with frustration, but Kevin still wasn't satisfied. Shuu was ready to hold the hot tempered blonde back as he looked ready to pounce on Rika.

"When did you find out about it?"

Rika looked away at this point in time. "Ever since our match with Hyotei."

"That's such a long time ago!" said Kevin, losing his temper. "He's been diagnosed with tendinitis, and you still let him continue playing?! Rika, are you trying to ruin him or something?!"

"I know, alright?!" Rika snapped. "He wouldn't listen to me! No matter what I said, he just wouldn't listen!" She sighed with frustration, running her fingers through her hair. "I made him a compromise. I said that I'll allow him to play until the Kantou finals. Then he has to go for his operation. Why do you think that Kirihara and myself are the only ones who knew the truth?!"

"Besides, do you think that it's easy for us to make this kind of decision?!" Kirihara snapped. "Damn it…" He cursed beneath his breath. "He begged us. Takahiro begged us! He wanted to play with the team until the Kantou finals! We would never have found out that his condition had become so serious had Rika never met Doctor Oishi when she was hospitalised!" The entire team fell silent at this. "And by then, it's nearly impossible for me to convince him to go for his operation as our team was already down one player! Why do you think that I try not to put him in matches ever since our match with Hyotei if possible?!"

There was silence before Hikari broke the uneasy silence, his face pale. "…buchou…" Kirihara looked at Hikari. "Back then…Takahiro's match with that Igawaki guy from Seigaku… Did he lose because of his condition?"

Kirihara sighed. "Probably," he said grimly, curling his fingers together before his mouth. "I wanted him to forfeit the match because of his condition when his tendinitis started acting up, but he refused to listen to me!"

"That probably explains why his condition got so serious then," said Doctor Oishi who had been listening. "I was shocked to find out that his condition had become worse from the last time when I'd seen him." He glanced at Rika. "Rika-kun. If you will give your permission, I'll like to prep him for immediate surgery. He can't delay it any longer."

Rika didn't hesitate in nodding. "I'm leaving it in your hands, Doctor Oishi," she said, and the doctor smiled and nodded.

"Don't worry about it. The operation has a pretty high success rate," said the doctor. "If everything goes well, Tanaka-kun might be able to join you back in time for the Nationals."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Room 241  
__Morita Hospital_

"Just relax, Tanaka-kun," said the nurse, smiling as she injected a dose of anaesthetic into Takahiro's arm for the operation taking place in a matter of minutes, and Takahiro winced a little. "We'll come to get you in a few minutes, so it'll be alright if you just fall asleep."

There was a knock on the door just then, and both Takahiro and the nurse turned to see Rika walking into the room, her left hand bandaged. "Sorry for the interruptions," she said. "May I have a few moments with Takahiro?"

The nurse smiled and nodded before picking up her tray. "You shouldn't stay too long as well, Rika-kun," she said. "You should be resting up after your operation as well, not running around like this."

"I'll head back soon," said Rika before the nurse nodded and exited the room. The dark haired girl sighed before taking a seat in the chair beside the bed, looking at Takahiro. "I don't think that I have to tell you 'I told you so'," she muttered. "Kirihara told you that this will happen. And so did myself and Doctor Oishi for that matter."

Takahiro looked abashed of himself for a moment. "Rika…"

Rika sighed before smiling. "It'll be alright," she said. "You'll make a full recovery, and you'll be able to continue playing tennis after that. The success rate of the surgery is pretty high. The rest of the team are outside. They said that they'll come over again tomorrow especially since visiting hours will be over in a matter of minutes."

Takahiro's eye twitched. "Does this mean that…they knew?" he asked, nearly afraid to know the answer.

Rika looked at him with a look that said 'are you stupid?', and she nodded. "We can't hide it from them anyway," she said with a sigh. "A few of them noticed that something is wrong with you during your match against Seigaku's Igawaki-san earlier."

"I see…" said Takahiro with a small smile. "Rika, when will you be discharged?"

"Not for another few weeks," said Rika. "Something about having to undergo physiotherapy treatment or something. Shiki as well. You should still be in the hospital for the same amount of time as well."

There was a knock on the door just then, and Doctor Oishi entered the room, already dressed in surgical garbs with an assistant doctor and a nurse with him, a smile on his face. "Rika-kun, I'm sorry, but you have to leave," he said. "We have to prep him for surgery now."

**

* * *

**The journey to the surgery room was silent, with only the sounds of the wheels of the gurney that Doctor Oishi and the assistant doctor was wheeling which Takahiro was currently lying on, the anaesthetic slowly taking effect.

The gurney stopped all of a sudden, and Takahiro looked at Doctor Oishi curiously before the face of the doctor broke into a smile and turned towards Takahiro. "Tanaka-kun, seems like you're really popular," he said. "Your friends are here to speak to you before you go in."

Takahiro blinked before he saw his teammates walking up to him, among which included Riku, Sora and Seika. "You guys…"

Sora smiled at Riku. "Takahiro, it'll be alright," he said. "You'll be just fine."

"Doctor Oishi is a good doctor," said Rika. "He'll fix you up."

"Hurry up and get well," said Hikaru with a grin on his face. "I still have to kick your ass in tennis."

"HIKARU!"

"What?"

Rika sighed at the squabbling twins. "Never mind," she muttered.

Shuu smiled and nodded to Takahiro. "It'll be fine, Takahiro," he said. "Everyone's rooting for you. You'll be just fine."

Takahiro nodded. "…hai."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It seemed to Takahiro like it was hours after his operation when he woke up.

The sunlight streaming in via the slight gap of the closed curtains of his hospital room showed that it's currently early morning, and he was feeling some of the after-effects of the anaesthetic used during the operation. He felt a stiff covering around his right ankle just then, and looked down only to see bandages wound around his ankle.

Someone mumbled something beside him just then, and Takahiro turned his head only to see Yukimura Seika fast asleep in a chair beside him, her head dropping to one side. Takahiro can only smile at how cute she looks when she's asleep.

"She's been waiting for you all this time," said a voice, and Takahiro looked up to see Rika walking into the hospital room silently.

Takahiro blinked. "…Rika."

"You've been asleep for about eight hours now," said Rika. "The operation is a success." She smiled. "The others left after visiting hours are over last night, and they said that they'll come over again later during visiting hours. Seika-chan chose to stay in your hospital room. The nurse said that she can prepare a bed of some sort for her, but Seika-chan turned down the offer."

Takahiro didn't say anything, but try to get up in bed before Rika helped him by propping a pillow behind his back before handing him a book of some sort to help him pass the time.

"Doctor Oishi said to not try walking on that foot of yours just yet," said Rika. "Use a wheelchair or something if you have to get around." Takahiro nodded. "I have to go and see my own doctor. I'll come and see you later."

Takahiro nodded. "Rika." The dark haired girl turned around only to see the rare instance of a smile on Takahiro's face. "Thank you for everything."

Rika smiled. "Don't be," she said. "Besides…" She jerked her chin towards Seika's direction. "You have a treasure waiting for you, Takahiro. Don't let go of it."


	48. Danger on the Ocean

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Forty Eight: Danger on the Ocean**

"_Give me back my apple, aniki!"_

"_Yours?" A teasing tone. "I don't see your name written on it."_

"_A-NI-KI!!"_

"_Hahaha! You'll have to catch me if you want your apple back, Takahiro."_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The gulls of the ocean were crying to one another as they had a race of some sort in the skies, and one Tanaka Takahiro could be seen standing at the railings of the deck of the ship, his hair getting tussled by the sea breeze, staring at seemingly nothing in particular.

Takahiro sighed to himself. _'Aniki__…' _he thought miserably to himself. _'Where are you?'_

"Ta-ka-hi-ro."

Takahiro turned around just in time to see Kevin and Rika appear by his sides, and he raised an eyebrow. "What?" he asked.

"HIKARU!!!"

All three turned around just in time to see Hikaru run away whilst laughing, running from his angry twin whilst the rest of the Rikkaidai team watched on in amusement, with Ryou wide awake for once and not asleep.

"What did Hikaru do this time?" asked Rika with a sigh as Seika, Kirihara, Haruki, Ryou and Shuu approached the three of them by the railings of the cruise ship, all of them watching Hikaru and Hikari engaged themselves in a game of tag.

Shuu shrugged. "Who knows?" he said with an amused smirk on his face. "Too much sugar to spare, probably."

"And speaking of that, I definitely hadn't forgotten that Kevin and Haruki still owed us a treat from that bet during the Kantou finals," said Ryou with a grin, turning towards the two in question who winced visibly, and Kevin fidgeted about on one foot.

"You hadn't forgotten about that?"

"I don't forget things like that."

"Where your stomach matters, you mean," muttered Kevin.

"Oh dear…" Seika sighed, seeing the verbal battle taking place between the two. "It's a pity that Yuri-chan can't come along with us and— huh? Here comes Shiki-san with someone else?" The freshman girl blinked, seeing the Seigaku sophomore captain walking with an older looking man wearing a smart business suit with a tobacco stick jutting out in between his lips, a waft of smoke trailing from the ends of the stick.

"Shiki." Rika nodded to Shiki who nodded back. "Where are the rest of your team?"

"I think half of them mentioned something about having a game of billiards in the room downstairs," said Shiki with a light shrug.

The man with him took out the tobacco stick from his mouth. "We have various recreational activities on this ship," said the man with a rather strange smile. "Since you're here, you should utilize them as well."

The rest of Rikkaidai can only stare as Kirihara and Rika both nodded.

"Um… Fukubuchou, Kirihara-buchou…who's this person?" asked Haruki after a long and uneasy silence fell between them, being the only one brave enough to dare ask that one question resting on everyone's minds.

"Hmm? Oh. This is the owner of this ship," said Kirihara, turning towards his team. "Sakurafubuki Hikomaro-san."

"The owner?" Ryou echoed, blinking owlishly. "That means that he's the one who had invited both Seigaku and Rikkaidai aboard!"

**

* * *

**_Flashback Starts:_

"_Play tennis?" The Rikkaidai regulars chorused, all blinking owlishly at their captain and vice-captain in the tennis clubroom of Rikkaidai Fuzoku after a particularly tough and tenacious day of training._

"_That's right," said Rika, nodding. "A business magnate named Sakurafubuki Hikomaro loves tennis." She frowned a little at this before smoothening out her facial expression and turned back to her team. "He had requested that we play an exhibition match as a main event at the party on the ship, seeing as how we're the champion school who had won the Nationals last year. Also, from what I've heard, Seigaku has been invited as well. Though as my brother has to prepare for his examinations in college, he won't be tagging along this time."_

_Haruki chuckled. "Must be fun to play on a cruise ship," he commented._

"_Wow!" Hikaru beamed. "I've never been on a cruise ship before. I doubt none of us has even been on one before!"_

_Rika coughed slightly. "Actually…Kevin and I have when we were in America," she said, hiding a slight smile._

"_Me too," said Takahiro, hiding an amused smirk at Hikaru's expression._

"_WHAT???!!!"_

"_Also, we can use this chance as a celebration for Rika and Takahiro for having just gotten out of the hospital two weeks ago," said Kevin. "And if I know Seigaku, they're probably planning the same thing as well."_

"_We can bring a guest with us, and I'm thinking of bringing along Seika-chan since I kind of promised her to help her with her tennis," said Rika._

_Kirihara coughed. "Anyway, this invitation is not something that we experience every day," he said. "We should accept it with gratitude."_

_Flashback Ends:_

**

* * *

**"Your friends from Seigaku have just finished playing a practice match at the courts for tomorrow's match," said Sakurafubuki.

"Then we should have a game or two as well," said Haruki with a smile. "We hadn't had a single game ever since we've came here."

"Fukubuchou. Takahiro. Will you both be alright, having just finished your operations mere weeks ago?" asked Hikari in concern, the twins having just approached the group a while back.

"Don't worry about it," said Rika, waving a hand about. "I'll be fine if I just take it easy."

"And I've already long healed," said Takahiro. "Let's go have a game or two."

"Me too!"

**

* * *

**It was a doubles match taking place between Seigaku's Igawaki Haruse and Kayama Shuuri versus Kaidoh Kaoru and Kenneth Smith. Shiki had told Rika about Kenneth and his team. Just after the Kantou finals, things have been pretty strained between them even with Kenneth doing a great deal of apologising, but recently, things have pretty much evened out between them.

Igawaki returned a serve with Kaidoh hitting a Snake Shot to him, hissing all the while.

"What a tenacious match," said Kevin, shielding his eyes from the glare of the sun as he watched the match along with everyone on the Rikkaidai team, alongside Shiki and the remainders of the Seigaku team. "Igawaki-san seemed to have improved as well after his match with Takahiro during the Kantou finals."

Shiki chuckled lightly. "He's pretty sore about the result of his match with Takahiro," he explained. "It felt to him like he'd lost, thus, he had been stepping up his training. I think that he wanted a rematch with you, Takahiro."

Takahiro smiled. "I'll be glad to give him one," he said just as Igawaki's side ended up winning with six games to four.

"Hey Takahiro!" Haruki slung an arm around Takahiro's shoulders, much to the Chessmaster's annoyance. "Want to have a game of doubles against the twins?"

Takahiro grunted. "Fine."

"So much for a captains' match…" muttered Seika with a grin, seeing Shiki's face fell slightly in disappointment and Rika giving him an apologetic smile as the twins, Takahiro and Haruki walked onto the courts. "Oh well. Takahiro is a pretty good player, and Haruki-niisan is no pushover as well."

Kevin grinned mischievously. "'Takahiro', huh?" he said. "You both seemed pretty close already."

Seika blushed furiously, and fortunately for the freshman, Rika came to the rescue by forcibly turning Kevin by the shoulders to make him face the ongoing match between the twins, Takahiro and Haruki currently taking place on the courts.

"Keep your eyes on the match."

"Yes Ma'am."

Kevin turned just in time to see Hikari hit a powerful Sonic Serve right off the bat which simply disappeared the moment that it impacted with his racquet before a black mark appeared at the baseline of Takahiro and Haruki's court, the ball rolling slowly away from the back of the court.

The spectators currently watching the match were all impressed, as were the Seigaku players who were watching the match with interest.

"What is that serve?"

"A disappearing serve? First time that I've seen such a thing! That kid has THOSE kind of skills??!!"

Haruki sighed. "Still unable to even so much as see it coming, huh?" he mused as Takahiro walked to the receiving position on their court.

"It's my turn this time, Haruki," said Takahiro. "Keep your eyes on the ball."

Haruki grumbled something that sounded like 'smartass' beneath his breath before he walked towards his position on the court as the twins got ready in their individual positions as well.

"I know that already!"

Hikaru grinned. "I'm not going easy on either of you as well!" he said before serving a Sonic Serve as well. "Here's the next one!"

And up above them on the viewing deck where he could get a clear view of the ongoing tennis match, Sakurafubuki Hikomaro was watching the match whilst chuckling to himself, and anyone who had heard him might have assumed that the man had suddenly gone crazy.

'_I have researched all of you thoroughly,' _he thought, looking from Rikkaidai to Seigaku and back again. _'The two schools which are the top of the Kantou region, and which had made it to the finals of the National tournament last year. Rikkaidai sophomore Fuuma Hikari who plays speed tennis. Rikkaidai sophomore Fuuma Hikaru who is a tactical type player, and plays doubles with his twin, and both hadn't yet lost a match in an official tournament yet. Rikkaidai sophomore Yukimura Haruki who is said to be a prodigy. And one of the world's greatest music geniuses and is now one of the top tennis players in Japan's middle school circuit…Rikkaidai sophomore, Tanaka Takahiro.' _He thought, looking at said boy whilst holding several papers. _'A wonderful team indeed.'_

The match then concluded, with the twins clinching the match with seven games to five.

Haruki sighed. "Ah. We lost again."

Hikaru grinned, resting the frame of his racquet against his shoulder. "You both sure have improved though," he commented, his twin nodding, agreeing with what his brother was saying. "At least you managed to get five games past us this time when you only managed to clinch three games past us the last time that we've played."

Another team that seemed to comprise of foreigners who all seemed to be in high school or college came over just then.

"Move over, kids," said a teen with blue hair.

"Playtime is over," said another, and Seika frowned, not liking their rude mannerisms and attitudes.

"And who are you people?" she asked heatedly.

"We're the ones playing against you in the match tomorrow," said one of the foreigners.

"We won't go easy on you just because you're in middle high," said the one with the blue hair again before a hand grabbed his shoulder from out of nowhere, and he moved aside to reveal a silver-haired older-looking teen with gray eyes throwing an apple up and down on the palm of his hand who pushed his way to the front.

Rika frowned slightly as she studied this new arrival whom she assumed to be the captain of the team. For some reason, he looked really familiar…

"Yo!" he said cheerily as Takahiro's eyes widened slightly in recognition. "Long time no see, Taka-chan." He said, causing half of the Rikkaidai team to stifle their laughter by disguising it into loud hacking coughs, causing Takahiro to glare at them.

"Who's he?" asked Haruki curiously, staring at the newcomer to Takahiro and back again, noting the similarities between the two like everyone else. He seemed almost like an older version of Takahiro. "An acquaintance of yours?"

"Kind of," said Takahiro, narrowing his eyes slightly. "My stupid missing for nine years older brother from the time when my family was living in France before I started travelling all over the globe by myself to participate in musical tournaments and chess recitals."

Kevin blinked in confusion. "I never knew that you had a brother," he said.

"You wouldn't. He disappeared on us a few years back," said Takahiro darkly before he turned towards his brother. "Where the hell have you been, baka aniki?!"

Said baka aniki blinked before he coughed into his hand. "Here?" he said unsurely, suddenly making himself look very stupid. He then turned to the rest of the Rikkaidai team, a grin breaking out on his face, and Rika wondered for a moment if this is what Takahiro will look like whilst grown-up. "I'm Tanaka Takashi. Nice to meet you."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_That Night  
__Dining Room_

The ship's chef displayed several stunts whilst chopping a fish, amazing several of the guests who clapped loudly at this performance. Sakurafubuki was currently seated at the head of a long table at which was seated the members of the Rikkaidai and Seigaku players along with the foreigners, along with Seika. The man then stood up from his seat and spoke.

"Team members of Rikkaidai Fuzoku and Seishun Gakuen," he said. "I thank you from the bottom of my heart for accepting my invitation."

"We're the ones who should be thanking you for inviting us," said Kirihara who was currently wearing a maroon and white suit. The rest of the Rikkaidai and Seigaku teams were all in formal clothing as well.

Sakurafubuki held up a glass of wine. "I usually invite several of my business associates for a party held several times every year here," he said. "Also, I love tennis, and even have my own team." And he stood up, walking towards Takashi who was smirking at Takahiro every now and then, the latter who was glaring back, and had gripped the fork in his hand so tightly that it seemed as if Takahiro was trying to break the metal fork. "The exhibition match is the main event of this party. I'm honoured that I am able to meet the famous Seishun Gakuen players, and even more so to the champion school of the National tournament last year, Rikkaidai Fuzoku. Both teams even contained passionate people. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow's match."

"You are too kind."

"Then allow me to introduce my team." The business magnate continued. "Let's start with the captain…"

Rika was frowning a little as she studied Tanaka Takashi. She was _very_ sure that she had seen that guy somewhere before. Maybe from during her time in America? She made a mental note to contact her cousin and boyfriend along with one Liliaden Krauser later to ask about one Sakurafubuki Hikomaro as she had a rather bad feeling about him, and she had learned to trust her instincts where people are concerned as it hadn't failed her yet.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Echizen Residence  
__Kanagawa District_

One Echizen Ryoga tore himself away from his college textbooks, relieved to have an excuse for a break as the message tone from his cellphone sounded, and he opened the message only to see that it's from his sister whom he knew had gone on a cruise trip with the rest of her team, and his own team was invited as well.

Ryoga frowned as he read the contents of the message before his eyes widened a slight fraction as he read the name of the team captain of the opposing team during the exhibition match that Rikkaidai and Seigaku are to take part in the next day.

'_T-Takashi?! What the hell?! You're chewing off more than you can handle!'_

**

* * *

**_Rental Apartments  
__Kanagawa District_

Liliaden Krauser was currently lying on his stomach on his bed whilst reading a magazine of some sort when he received Rika's message, and he frowned as he read it. _'Hmm…' _he thought before he pulled on his jacket and left his apartment, ready to go and find his friend and also Rika's boyfriend.

**

* * *

**_Atobe Mansion  
__Tokyo District_

Atobe Keigo received his cousin's message just mere moments after the others received theirs, and he frowned from his place in his personal Jacuzzi as he read the contents of the message. "Sakurafubuki Hikomaro, huh?" he mused before his cellphone rang just then, and the name flashing on the screen was 'Yukimura'.

Atobe smirked before answering the call. "I was about to call you, Yukimura. Did Rika message you?" He paused for a few minutes as he listened to whatever his prospective cousin-in-law had to say before grinning. "I was about to go and get Oshitari to investigate this guy for me, though I guess it would help a lot if that data master of yours helped as well. Tell me whatever that you got on this guy." He paused for a few moments before sighing. "Fine. I'll get Krauser's help as well. Happy?"

Atobe then hung up the call before dialling the number of the person which is the closest that he can call a best friend. Three rings later, the call was picked up, and Atobe smirked. "Yuushi? It's me. I need your help with something…"

**

* * *

**_Takoyaki Stand  
__Tokyo District_

"This Sakurafubuki Hiko-something invited them to a party," said Oshitari with a frown whilst seated on a bench not too far away from a takoyaki stand whilst ignoring his doubles partner, Gakuto Mukahi who was wolfing down takoyaki like he hadn't eaten for days. "It's such nonsense. How can the famous Hyotei NOT be invited? I can understand Rikkaidai being invited, but _Seigaku?" _He grunted in distaste. "Can you stay quiet like this, Atobe?"

"_Heh, I'm pretty sick of cruise ships myself," _said Atobe's voice from the other end of the line. _"But this Sakurafubuki something or other… I've never heard of that guy, and my cousin seems to be worried about this guy, and if I know anything about Rika, her hunches are never wrong. She's gotten Yukimura and Krauser on the case as well. I am also investigating myself as we speak."_

Oshitari sighed. "Fine. I'll investigate this guy as well," he said. _Click._

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"The food didn't taste that great." Hikaru complained as both Rikkaidai and Seigaku made their way back to their rooms after the dinner. All of them were sharing two to a room, and Rika and Seika, being both girls, were sharing a room. "And it looked elegant and delicious too."

"I've heard of the saying 'don't judge a book by it's cover', but I didn't imagine that it'll apply to food as well," said Seika, her face screwing up a little. "It tastes like the hospital food that they served to niisan two years ago when he was in the hospital for Guillain-Barre Syndrome."

"It probably got cold whilst we're talking, and maybe that's why the food sucked." Momoshiro suggested.

"No," said Rika, shaking her head. "If it's indeed prepared by a top class chef, the food wouldn't have tasted this bad even if it's being kept for _days."_

"Also, it tasted like it was quickly prepared," said Shiki, adding in his input.

"Since they're both saying so…" mused Shuu. "There's no mistaking it then. Seeing as how our fukubuchou is quite the little chef herself."

"Sorry, but I need to go to the washroom," said Seika apologetically.

"I'm coming too," said Rika before the two girls separated from the rest of the boys, heading towards the nearest washroom only to see that the walls seemed to be made out of marble, and the sinks were polished until it shone.

"Even the washroom is extravagant," commented Seika, looking around her.

"Is that so?" mused Rika, a frown on her face as her sharp eyes noticed a part of the wall coming apart. "It's not made out of real marble, Seika-chan." Seika blinked before Rika headed towards the wall and yanked onto the 'wall' which came apart in her hands, revealing a smooth brown surface beneath. "…it's just wallpaper."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_One Hour Later  
__Sakurafubuki's Quarters_

Shiki, Kaidoh, Kirihara and Rika – the captains and vice-captains of their individual teams were all present in the quarters of Sakurafubuki Hikomaro, going over the match line-ups for the exhibition match for tomorrow. Tanaka Takashi was present as well, along with Sakurafubuki himself, and Kaidoh was glancing around at all the different antiques around the room, all which seemed expensive.

"Are you okay with the order for tomorrow's exhibition match?"

Rika glanced down her list. Seigaku and Rikkaidai will be sending in their best for this combined exhibition match, and instead of the standard five matches' game, there will be six matches this time around – three doubles matches and three singles matches.

"It looks alright to me," remarked Kirihara, and the others nodded.

"So I'll be facing the famous 'Ice Princess' in singles one, huh?" remarked Tanaka Takashi, seeing Rika's name written in the singles one column. "Well, go easy on me please."

"Let's have a good game."

"A good game, huh?" mused Takashi.

Sakurafubuki smirked. "I hope that you guys didn't think that you can just have a regular match after being invited to a gorgeous ship like this, did you?" he said, removing the tobacco stick from in between his lips, and Rika narrowed her eyes dangerously. "There is no such thing as a free lunch."

Shiki frowned. "I'm not following."

"To be blunt, I need you to lose tomorrow's matches on purpose."

"What??!!" Kaidoh nearly growled, and Rika frowned.

"I knew it," she muttered beneath her breath, and Kirihara cast a startled look at her.

"It means that there's going to be gambling aboard the ship tomorrow," said Takashi.

"The matches from this afternoon were to showcase the players to the customers," said Sakurafubuki. "Afterwards, everyone will bet on the players that they liked. And this is the odds list." Sakurafubuki held up a list which had two columns on it which Rika guessed must be the odds of each match. "It is just what we expected from the famous Seigaku and the champion Rikkaidai. Everyone has low odds."

Rika can feel Kirihara seething in anger next to her, and she gulped inwardly. Not good.

"That's right. The low odds mean that you have a lot of people betting on you."

"In other words, if we lose, you will come into a lot of the money as the house," said Rika, putting two and two together. "That's why you want us to lose on purpose."

"You understand perfectly. That's why you are Rikkaidai's vice-captain."

"I'm sorry. But I have to refuse," said Rika, standing up from her seat. "The champions Rikkaidai are no one's tool. And tennis isn't to be used as something like this."

"That's right!" said Kirihara, standing up next to her. "Who do you take us for?!"

"I agree with Rika," said Shiki, narrowing his eyes dangerously. "Let's go."

"Where do you think you're going?" Takashi called out as they made their way towards the exit of the room. "This is the ocean. There's nowhere to hide."

Before they could even make it out of the room, the door slid opened, and the chef from earlier walked in, an uncooked chicken in one hand and a knife in the other which made Rika, Kirihara, Shiki and Kaidoh nervous.

"Sir, I've come into some really nice meat," said the chef with a nasty grin on his face, and Rika got a feeling that he meant something else entirely when he said 'meat'. He then stabbed the knife into the chicken which made Kirihara instinctively pushed Rika behind him, shielding her with his body, and Kaidoh did the same for Shiki, shielding the two younger players with their bodies, the two older boys eyeing the chef and the knife warily.

"I'm trying to help you here," said Takashi. "Just do as they say." He sighed. "If you want to return to Japan in one piece, that is."

**

* * *

**"So that's how it is." Igawaki Haruse mused as the teams of Rikkaidai and Seigaku met on the deck of the ship for an emergency meeting after the captains and vice-captains of the individual teams returned from Sakurafubuki's quarters, with the two older boys looking so pale that it almost looks like they're about to faint.

"We investigated the entire ship whilst you guys are away as well," said Shuu, exchanging looks with Ryou, Kayama Shuuri and Seika before turning back towards Rika and Kirihara. "Everything in this ship, save for the electricity, food and water are all fake." He finished.

"I thought that it was strange," said Haruki, a frown on his face.

"Tanaka Takashi seems to be in on it as well," said Kaidoh, watching Takahiro who was leaning with his arms against the railings of the ship, staring out into the deep abyss of the ocean, not looking at any of them.

Takahiro didn't say anything, and Rika frowned inwardly. She wouldn't be so quick as to point fingers just yet. She can tell that there is something a little off with Takashi's behaviour, but she didn't know what yet.

"I'm sure that the others are as well," said Kirihara, looking around at his team and Seigaku. "No, scratch that." He shook his head. "Actually, the cook, as well as the rest of the crew onboard, are all in cohorts with Sakurafubuki Hikomaro."

Hikari sighed. "You're right."

"_Kiss me sweet… I'm sleeping in silence… All alone…in ice and snow—"_

Rika pulled her cellphone out of her pocket just then as everyone watched her, and answered the call. "Seiichi? What is it?" She paused for a few moments as she listened to whatever Yukimura had to say on the other end of the line and paled considerably. She groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose to ease her headache. "…thank you. And don't worry. We'll try to hold out until then. Ja." _Click._

Rika hung up the call and glanced at the two teams. She sighed. "We just got ourselves in hot soup," she said grimly. "I got a bad feeling about Sakurafubuki, and thus, I've asked Kei to check up on him for us, and I've also asked Krauser and Seiichi to help out. Sakurafubuki-san _is _indeed a business magnate…tycoon…however that you like to put it. But he specialises in the underground part of the 'magnate business'. Be it in gambling, trafficking of illegal weapons, drugs, etc." Silence filled everyone as horror appeared on their faces. Rika sighed. "…I'll let you imagine what he'll do to get what he wants. Kei will send rescue for us, but seeing as how we're so far from the coast and currently in the middle of nowhere, it'll take them earliest by tomorrow morning in order to reach us!"

Kachiro nearly groaned. "This is just great."

Rika glanced around at both Seigaku and Rikkaidai and sighed. "And thus, I want everyone's opinions on the threat of us not returning to Japan if we don't throw the match tomorrow," she said, and the players of both Seigaku and Rikkaidai perked up at this.

"Our opinion?" Haruki echoed.

Igawaki Haruse smiled but didn't say anything, choosing to sip from the cocktail currently in front of him instead.

"That's already etched in stone," said Hikaru with a smirk on his face.

"That's right," said Kayama Shuuri with a grin.

"Throwing the match, huh?" said Ryou with a smirk on his face.

"Who'll do that?" asked Kenneth with a smirk tugging at the ends of his lips, exchanging looks with his twin.

Kevin smirked. "You got that right," he said, crossing his arms across his chest.

Shiki sighed before smiling. "Then we're all in agreement," he said.

"But this is their ship," said Shuu seriously, and everyone turned towards the tennis manager of Rikkaidai. "And this means that we're in the belly of our enemies. There's no place to run." He sighed. "Not that I think any of us will." He glanced around at his teammates as well as Seigaku. "I don't like it, but we should probably let the gambling continue."

Kirihara nodded. "But we can't throw the match." He finished.

"Tomorrow's match…" said Shiki, frowning as he thought deeply, and everyone turned towards the Seigaku captain before the silver-haired teen looked up. "Apart from Igawaki, Kayama, Yukimura, Kenneth, Kevin, Kirihara, Rika, Tanaka and myself…the rest of you won't be playing in the matches. Best if a few of you can work behind the scenes for a backup plan if they ever decided that the death threat is for real."

"The twins can do it with no problem," said Rika, and the twins grinned and nodded. "They can provide a good enough distraction should things turned bad."

Takahiro moved away from his position by the railings just then, catching everyone's attention.

"Takahiro? Where are you going?" asked Rika.

Takahiro didn't say anything for awhile before leaving the deck.

"…practice."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_Otou-san! Where is aniki? He promised to play with me today!"_

_Mr Tanaka looked at his young five-year-old son before exchanging sad looks with his wife before bending down to Takahiro's eye level._

"_Takahiro… Takashi…isn't here."_

**

* * *

**'_And to this day, I __**still **__don't know just why aniki disappeared on us nine years ago…' _Takahiro thought as he sat on one of the benches at the pool area in the ship, bouncing a ball on the side frame of his racquet, not really paying attention to what he is currently doing. _'But since it's him, he probably did it for a reason. Otou-san and okaa-san never said anything about it as well, and they never worried about him. And whenever I asked about him, they merely told me that he'll be coming back one day and that he has an important job to do. But beyond that, they never talked about him at all. Why?'_

And he lost concentration just then as the ball dropped to the ground before rolling away and falling into the pool.

"Ah."

"It's not like you to worry so much, Takahiro," said a voice, and Takahiro looked up to see Seika standing in front of him, a tennis ball in one hand. She gave him a slight wave. "Yo."

"Seika…" Takahiro smiled. He sighed. "I'll deal with my own brother. He disappeared over nine years ago… Why has he returned now?" He sighed. "Seriously…I've nearly forgotten about him. It's been so long."

And an apple hit him in the back of the head just then.

"Yo Taka-chan," said Takashi with a smirk on his face, an apple in his hand as he leant against the railings on the second floor of the pool area of the ship. "It seems that you've gotten better at tennis. Didn't you used to say that you wouldn't take up tennis as it didn't seem interesting? Not like chess or music? Why did you suddenly change your mind?"

Takahiro growled. "It's none of your business," he said. "Besides, isn't it _you_ who got worse at tennis?"

Takashi smirked. "I much prefer you when you were little," he teased. "You're much more lovable and cute then."

That irked Takahiro, causing him to aim a ball at him which Takashi caught with his racquet easily. "Do you want to know what I think about tennis, Taka-chan?"

"Not interested."

"I think that tennis is great." Takashi continued as if Takahiro hadn't interrupted. "It's a great game with one racquet and one ball. You can overcome obstacles like words or feelings towards a mutual understanding."

Takahiro growled. "I don't need lectures from someone who plays _fixed matches," _he said.

Takashi laughed, riling Takahiro up further. "You got that right," he said, and he jumped atop the rails and began walking on it whilst throwing an apple up and down in his hand. "But still…I prefer you when you were young. You're much more lovable and cute then."

"You're such a jerk, aniki…" Takahiro growled, and Seika looked on in surprise. She hadn't seen Takahiro like this before.

Takashi laughed. "That's what older brothers are for, isn't it?"

"Stop playing games with me!" Takahiro ordered, losing his temper. "When are you coming home?" Takashi stared at Takahiro. "…I miss you, aniki."

Takashi sighed, running a hand through his hair. "…this isn't something that I can decide on my own, Taka-chan," he said.

"If I beat you in the match tomorrow, promise me that you'll come home," said Takahiro. "I know that otou-san and okaa-san misses you too."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible, Taka-chan," said Takashi triumphantly, and Takahiro blinked in confusion.

"Huh?"

"Unfortunately, I'm playing your vice-captain tomorrow," said Takashi. "Not you. Though it'll be nice if I can play you." He jumped off the rails that he was on. "See ya."

In a shadowed corner of the pool area, Echizen Rika sighed.

Why is it that it is always one Tanaka Takahiro who gives her the worst headache out of her entire team?!

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The sounds of balls hitting against the wall before being rebounded back again could be heard in the tennis courts that would be used for tomorrow's exhibition match. Tanaka Takashi sighed before heading to one of the benches before throwing his racquet on it and cleaning away his sweat with his towel.

"You want to go home, don't you?" said Rika as she appeared from one of the top bleachers in the courts, and Takashi looked up. "Aren't you sick of fixed matches? The fun in tennis is awaiting in what's coming, not _knowing _what's coming."

Takashi sighed and smirked. "This one's a surprise," he said. "It's not like you, an honour student, to listen in on other people's conversation. Rikkaidai's vice-captain."

Rika snorted. "Maybe before you start having a conversation that you don't want people to overhear, you should take a closer look at your surroundings," she said snidely. She then studied Takashi closely. "I think that you really want to play a fair game with your younger brother."

"I don't think that you should pry into other people's business as well," said Takashi.

Rika didn't say anything but stared at Takashi with that penetrating gaze of hers, making him feel a tad bit uncomfortable.

"You're the vice-captain of my brother's tennis team, isn't it? Echizen Rika, right?"

"Yeah."

"…please look after my brother for me."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Echizen Residence  
__Tokyo District_

Ryoga sat at his desk in his room, his table lamp turned on, his fingers curled together with an opened Mathematics book opened on his desk, thinking so deeply to himself that he didn't even notice Nanako bringing him a hot cup of coffee before leaving his room.

Finally, Ryoga made up his mind and reached for his cellphone before going to his contacts' list and scrolling down it before coming to a name that he hadn't thought of and hadn't contacted for the past five or so years ever since he was in high school in America.

He had met that person in the slums of New York in America a few years ago, and by some miracle, had ended up doing some 'work' for him, and had an inner look at the inner workings of America's security and government system. During the three years or so when he had been most active in that line of 'work', he had met a fellow Japanese who was in the same line of 'work' as Ryoga himself in America back then as well, and both teens were the same age, and thus, they were good friends in a way.

But then, when he had left America, he had stopped that line of work, but that doesn't mean that he isn't well-informed about 'their world'.

Finally, Ryoga pressed the 'Call' button on his cellphone before pressing it to his ear. Three rings later, the call was picked up and a fairly irritable voice sounded, sounding like he had just rolled out of bed.

"_Whoever this is, I hope that you have a damn good reason for calling me at this hour, or I swear that I'll—"_

"_Ethan." _Ryoga interrupted in English, knowing perfectly well that if he doesn't interrupt his friend, he'll rant until the next morning.

The caller paused before he spoke again, sounding rather surprised and astonished. _"Ryoga? Well well. Look who decided to drop a line. So what's up?"_

"_Let's cut to the chase," _said Ryoga, sounding quite serious. _"Have you been sending that slacker out on anything recently?"_

There was a slight pause before Ethan spoke again. _"Ryoga, do I look like I'm that slacker's keeper—"_

"_Answer the goddamn question, Ethan!" _Ryoga snapped, losing his temper. _"You __**trained **__him. He left home for precisely the same goddamn reason just because he has a talent that you and your organisation needed! He's a fricking computer genius who is able to hack into anything, and no one is able to stop him!"_

There was a slight pause. _"I've sent him out on an assignment about a year ago," _said Ethan hesitantly. _"Last that I heard, he ended up somewhere in Japan when he called me to give his latest report about six months ago. After that, he ceased contact to prevent blowing his cover."_

Ryoga sighed. _"I knew it," _he said with a groan. _"So that idiot's really here." _He sighed. _"Your best student. FBI agent, Takashi Tanaka."_

* * *

_A/N: Sorry for the cliff-hanger! There will be two chapters for this arc before I'll move onto the Invitational Games arc, though for obvious reasons, I won't be describing every detail about it as I'm not about to bring in more OCs._

_Anyway, I hope that you like this chapter, and please read and review!_

_**Upcoming Stories:**_

_**Full Moon (Prince of Tennis)**_

_Echizen Rika is the legendary assassin known as 'Hel', an unbeatable gunman and a ruthless assassin in a secret organisation that protects the peace and maintains the balance of power in the world from the shadows until she decided that she's had enough and decided to leave the organisation. Soon, a year later, she is attending school in the prestigious Phoenix Star Academy before members from her old organisation soon found out where she is, and then, her past soon started catching up with her. Yukimura/FemRyo_

_**Blue Moon (Prince of Tennis)**_

_FemRyo. Echizen Rika and Yukimura Seiichi are the former leaders of squad Zero - the highest ranks that a shinigami could reach - who had deserted their home and had discarded their lives as shinigamis when everything that Soul Society and the King had done goes against what they had stood for. Now, nearly five hundred years later, the two were the leaders of the Vizards, and when Soul Society got wind of their existences, the two of them, along with the Vizards, have to take up arms once more to defend their homes as well as the friends that they've made in Phoenix Star Academy. Prince of Tennis/Bleach crossover_

_**Hellfire (Prince of Tennis)**_

_After being involved in an accident which had nearly killed her, Echizen Rika started to develop the ability to see the future. At first, it was fun by predicting little things like the next numbers of the lottery draw and so on. But things soon turned horrific when Rika started seeing 'shadows' that attached themselves to people, and those who somehow got those 'shadows' attached to them always died within moments or days after that. Rika then uncovered the mystery of those 'shadows' and traced back the origins of her ability and soon found out that there are things in this world which is better left unknown__… Yukimura/FemRyo_


	49. Deadly Cruise

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Forty Nine: Deadly Cruise**

The next day, everyone was on full alert.

Time seemed to just _fly _by, and before they knew it, both Rikkaidai and Seigaku soon found themselves out on the courts with Rika as bench coach. The stands were nearly full with the audience, and Seika who was seated in the stands as one of the guests watched as the team representing both Seigaku and Rikkaidai were gathered together by the bench opposite the Sakurafubuki tennis team.

It is a little fact unknown to Rika, but the boys have all came to a silent compromise the night before that at least one of them will stay with Rika at all times unless she has to go to the bathroom in case Sakurafubuki decided to pull something funny.

As boys, they are all more than capable of fighting back, and even though Rika had lived in America nearly all her life prior to coming to Japan, they weren't sure if she can fight back if someone attempts to kidnap her. Though naturally, not one of them was brave enough to say that to Rika's face. They preferred living to their twenties, thank you very much.

"_Please enjoy the exhibition match between the Seishun-Rikkai tennis club and the Sakurafubuki tennis team," _said the announcer of the match who was standing on a podium and speaking into the microphone that he currently had in his hand.

All over the ship, in the dining halls, the outdoor swimming pool and even the casinos, the ongoing tennis match could be seen on the screens all over the cruise ship. Rika and Shiki exchanged slightly nervous looks as their first doubles two pair – Kevin and Kenneth – stood at the net exchanging handshakes with their opponents.

This is it.

"_One set match! Seishun-Rikkai's Kenneth Smith to serve!"_

Kenneth was standing at the serving position at the baseline of the court, a rather grim look on his face whilst Kevin was standing at the front, ready to receive the ball should it come, an identical look on his face similar to that on his twin's face.

"Let's go, Kevin," said Kenneth grimly, one hand griping tightly onto the ball, ready to serve. "Don't screw this up."

"Right back at you." Kevin muttered, yet it was loud enough for Kenneth to hear him.

Kenneth smirked before throwing the ball up into the air and bending backwards as far back as he could go before serving a semi-fast serve to their opponents.

The match was soon getting underway.

Rika who was acting as bench coach had her eyes glued to the ongoing match before her as despite Kevin and Kenneth being twins, and despite herself having grown up with the two, she hadn't seen the Smith twins play as a doubles pair once. Despite that, however, the two seemed to be doing pretty well, and seemed to favour speed and power in their combination rather than attack and defend like most doubles combinations.

Kenneth was the power in their play whilst Kevin is more of the attack and speed type, and Kenneth even went as far as to hit the opponent in the face who barely blocked it with his racquet which caused the ball to bounce up which created a chance for Kevin to use a new smash of his at its strongest which hadn't been given a name yet, causing the ball to actually spin furiously onto the court before bouncing high up into the air and falling out of the ship and into the ocean.

"A mixture of my Twist Serve and Momoshiro-san's Dunk Smash, huh?" muttered Rika, shaking her head in disbelief. "Why am I not surprised? Very original, Kevin." She said the last part with sarcasm in her tone, and Shiki who was sitting beside her on the bench laughed.

On the courts, Kenneth and Kevin were sending their opponents flying all over the place, and a glint shone in Kenneth's eyes as his opponent dealt a cross-shot to him which he smirked at, and he caught up to the ball.

"My turn!" Kenneth smirked before he shifted his grip on his racquet a little before dealing the return version of the Twister Serve which was dangerously close to causing Kenneth to sprain his shoulder, earning them the final point in their match, and in turn, one victory.

Their opponents were both panting heavily, beads of sweat rolling down their faces as the announcer was announcing the score.

"_Game and match! Game won by Seishun-Rikkai's Kenneth Smith-Kevin Smith pair!"_

"Alright!" said Shuuri with a smile tugging at the ends of his lips. "They won!"

Sakurafubuki Hikomaro however, was not too happy.

"Damn those kids…" he growled.

Over with the Sakurafubuki tennis team, Tanaka Takashi had a rather strange smile tugging at the ends of his lips. "Those kids really did it," he said to himself. "I like that."

**

* * *

**"Nice game, you two," said Igawaki Haruse as Haruki handed Kevin a drink whilst Shuuri handed Kenneth a towel.

"With this, we can't turn back anymore," remarked Shiki.

"Let's just do what we can," said Rika. "Igawaki-san, Kayama-san, both of you are up next."

"Yeah," said Igawaki with a nod, picking up his racquet before resting the frame of his racquet against his shoulder. "Let's go, Shuuri."

"Okay."

Igawaki and Kayama both ended their match in less than three minutes, and the extra doubles match because of the number of players in both teams which was Haruki and Shiki both ended their match in less than three minutes as well.

And with that, that marks three straight wins for the Seishun-Rikkai team.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Hikaru, it's too dangerous! Let's go back!"

"You're too noisy…! If you're not going to help me, then at least keep your voice down!"

"The fukubuchou told us to 'poke around' the ship, _not _for us to eavesdrop on the conversation of one Sakurafubuki Hikomaro! She'll skin us alive if she found out what we're up to here!"

"Hikari, will it _kill _you to be quiet for a minute?"

The Fuuma twins of Rikkaidai Fuzoku could be seen half-hanging off the railings outside the captain's quarters of one Sakurafubuki Hikomaro, with the twins arguing in semi-low voices. Hikari was about to say something when the conversation which both twins could hear coming from Sakurafubuki's room stopped him in his tracks. Hikaru and Hikari then peeked in through the see-through glass door of the captain's quarters only to see the hired team of Sakurafubuki standing in the room with the man himself and the 'cook'.

"I was quite sure that they wouldn't throw any games," said Sakurafubuki, looking at his team with a cigar jutting out in between his lips. "But I can't believe that you're unable to win even a _single match_ so far! I know that the matches are fixed, but I hired you high schoolers because you had good records. What kind of a result is this?"

There was silence before one of them spoke up. "Are you sure that they're just middle schoolers?" he asked. "I can't believe it."

Sakurafubuki walked towards him, the hot part of his cigar dangerously close to the teen's face, causing him to flinch back a little. "Hey you, the amount of money that I'd lost is almost unbelievable too."

"Let's have them work off the amount that we'd lost, sir," said the 'cook'.

"What about our pay?!"

"Are you stupid?" The cook yelled. "There's no way that we'll pay! You can believe that until you work off the money that we'd lost, you're not going home either." He said, waving his knife dangerously about in one hand.

"That's not what we're promised!"

"We came because you said that there was easy money to be made."

And the other players soon started complaining, and the cook soon lost his temper and yelled. "BE QUIET, ALL OF YOU!!" he growled as he grabbed the nearest player to him. "Or I'll lynch you and chuck you into the ocean to feed the sharks!"

His chef hat was then taken off his head before Takashi turned up out of the blue. "That's enough out of you, Mr Fake Cook," he said, pouring orange juice onto his head.

"What are you doing, you damn brat?!" The cook yelled, swinging his knife dangerously about, ready to slit his throat, but Takashi was quicker on the uptake, and aimed the head of his racquet at the face of the cook, stopping him in his tracks.

"I told you to stop, didn't I?" said Takashi firmly but coldly, and the tone of his voice sent chills up everyone's spines. "I have no intention in interfering in whatever that you do on this ship, but I won't tolerate you hurting my players."

"D-Don't get all cocky, kid."

Takashi ignored him and turned towards Sakurafubuki.

"It's okay if we win, right?" said Takashi. "Isn't that right?" He asked, resting the frame of his racquet against his shoulder as two more players came up behind him.

"You're correct."

"But sir!"

"But—" Sakurafubuki ignored the cook. "You do know what will happen if you failed to meet my expectations, right?"

"Heh, don't worry about it, _Sakurafubuki-san," _said Takashi with a smirk on his face, emphasising the last part of his words.

But the meaning in his words was quite clear as he left the room with the two other players:

_I belong to no one._

**

* * *

**"Looks like they have their hands full too," said Igawaki as he listened to what the Fuuma twins have to say in the room that was assigned to the Seishun-Rikkai team during the short intermission before the singles matches began.

"Because we won our matches, the other team's members are currently going through hell," said Haruki thoughtfully, his fingers curled together before his mouth whilst seated on the couch.

"What should we do then?" asked Hikari, chewing on his lower lip nervously, looking from one to the other.

There was silence before Kaidoh spoke from his place beside Momoshiro. "If they were just used by Sakurafubuki, then…" He trailed off, and Momoshiro grinned from beside him.

"…we can't let this go." Momoshiro finished for him. "We can't."

The door to the room opened just then, and the cook entered with two mean-looking guards behind him, much to their surprise.

"Just as I thought." The cook chuckled, and not in a friendly way either. "The unnecessary planning ends here." He pointed the sharp end of his knife at the two teams. "Kirihara. Echizen. Tanaka. Come out."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

One Tanaka Takashi was leaning against the wall in some random part of the ship whilst tossing a rosy-red apple up and down in his hand as he recalled something which his best friend from a long time ago when he was in America had said.

_My father used to say this to my younger sister and myself: Tennis is a grand dream that allows you to see the grand world. That's why, Takashi…go and find your own grand dream. I'm sure that it's out there somewhere. Somewhere in the vast grand world._

As the apple landed back into the palm of his hand, Takashi blinked as his younger brother as well as the vice-captain and captain of the Rikkaidai tennis team walked by, being 'escorted' by three of Sakurafubuki's guards.

Takahiro was looking at Takashi with a piercing gaze. "Why do you have a confused look on your face?"

"Taka-chan…"

'Taka-chan' developed a slight tick on his head at that infuriating nickname, and he don't doubt that he'll probably be teased endlessly about this by his teammates once they actually return to Japan, but he didn't say anything, but looked back at his brother.

"Come to think of it, seeing that apple reminds me of something that you've once said a long time ago before you've pulled your disappearing act," said Takahiro. _"'Tennis allows you to see a grand dream in the grand world'." _Takahiro looked at his brother. "Every single time back then…you always said that whilst eating some of those apples that you loved whilst being seated in one of the apple trees in the backyard in our house back in America when I'm little."

"Ah, I think so," said Takashi uncertainly.

"Hey, what are you doing?" said one of the guards just then, getting tired of waiting and pushing Takahiro roughly all of a sudden from behind, nearly causing him to lose his balance, and Takashi's eyes flashed murder at this action, a gesture unnoticed by all but Rika as the group continued moving.

Takashi then looked at the apple in his hand as he recalled one of the videotapes that Sakurafubuki had shown him of Rikkaidai's performance in the Kantou finals against Seigaku when Takahiro was playing against that Igawaki guy in Seigaku.

Takashi smiled inwardly as he looked at the apple in his hand.

'_You've grown strong, Takahiro.' _He thought to himself before sighing. _'A grand dream, huh?'_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"_We will now start the fourth match between Sakurafubuki's Albert Schweitz and Seishun-Rikkai's Kirihara Akaya."_

"Since the others are currently being held hostage, it's probably best not to provoke them by making it too one-sided," said Rika who was currently seated on the bench with Takahiro beside her. Kirihara was standing before them both with his racquet resting against his shoulder.

"You're right," said Kirihara, nodding. "I'll make this an even match. Or at least…as even as I can." The Rikkaidai captain then frowned. "But leaving them as hostages isn't helping any matters as well."

"Don't worry about it," said Takahiro, speaking up. "If I know the twins, they're bound to have some tricks up their sleeve. And furthermore, Shinderui is bound to have a plan as well."

Kirihara nodded. "I'll try to stall for as long as I can," he said before making his way towards the court.

Takahiro glanced at Rika. "Do you really think that the twins can pull it off?" he asked quietly.

Rika sighed and shrugged. "I have no idea. But I _do _know that at least one of them have somehow managed to get their hands on one of Yanagi-sempai's 'recipes' that he'd gotten from Inui-san of Seigaku last year." She grimaced. "…the cook is lucky if he don't suffer from severe indigestion or food poisoning. The twins aren't exactly pros in the kitchen."

Takahiro sweat dropped.

He'll never thought that he'll actually see the day when he might actually be thankful for Inui Sadaharu's weird juice recipes especially after what he'd heard from Shinderui Shiki about it during his two week hospital stay.

**

* * *

**_Seishun-Rikkai's Waiting Room_

Igawaki Haruse poured two glasses of water from the water tumbler available in the room before bringing those two glasses over to Shuuri and Shiki who were both seated on one of the couches in the room with the Fuuma twins leaning against the side of the couch, both huddled together.

"We have to do something to escape," said Igawaki in a low voice to prevent the cook who was standing guard at the door to overhear him. "It'll be bad if we keep this up."

Shiki nodded to Igawaki as he took the glass of water from him, and Shuuri said nothing but eyed the cook curiously as he took the cup of water from his best friend only to notice the slightly pale complexion of the cook and the beads of sweat rolling down his face.

'_Sea sickness…?' _Shuuri thought to himself, his brain working a hundred miles per minute before he tapped the shoulder of one of the Fuuma twins sitting on the ground by the side of the couch by him, and said twin looked up at him.

"What?" asked Fuuma Hikari in a low voice.

"I need your help," said Shuuri whilst not making eye contact with Hikari at all so as to not invite any attention from the cook. "You have some of Inui-sempai's juice recipes from last year, didn't you? You mentioned that you've gotten some of them from Yanagi-sempai?"

"Yeah. We have some pre-made juices here as we thought that we want to try a little experimenting, and maybe see what Takahiro looks like whilst sick from one of Inui-san's juices. Just a prank of some sort," said Hikaru with a one shoulder shrug.

"I see…" said Shuuri, nodding. "Then this makes things easy…"

**

* * *

**"_Game to Schweitz! Four games to three!"_

Takahiro frowned slightly before turning towards Rika. "Just now…the buchou threw the last game away on purpose, didn't he?" he asked, and Rika nodded, not taking her eyes off Kirihara's match.

"Yeah," said Rika. "He's trying to stall for time by controlling the game." She studied Kirihara's obviously upset and unhappy face at having to play 'weak'. "However, it won't hold forever."

**

* * *

**_Seishun-Rikkai's Waiting Room_

The Fuuma twins both knelt down by Hikaru's tennis bag before Hikaru unzipped his bag slowly, the sound that the zipper made whilst being unzipped sounding rather loud in the currently extremely silent room. The contents within Hikaru's tennis bag were two tennis racquets along with two water tumblers on which Hikaru had marked with a red X sign on each tumbler.

"I never thought that I'll actually see the day when I'll be thankful to one of your pranks." Hikari muttered to his older twin. "Saved by a prank…" Hikari shook his head in disbelief. "I wonder what the fukubuchou will say."

Hikaru grinned at his twin as he reached into his bag to take out one of the marked water tumblers within his bag.

"Hey, those two over there!" The cook demanded, looking and sounding rather sick as he did so, looking over in the direction of the twins. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing at all," said Hikaru, putting on a rather innocent and angelic smile as he turned back towards the cook, though like all of Rikkaidai knew, when you see that look on Hikaru's face, he's _far _from innocent. "My twin is currently a little seasick, so I thought that I should give him some medicine for seasickness." Hikaru grinned evilly inwardly as he showed the cook the water tumbler with the red X sign on it. "Would you like some?"

The left eye of the cook twitched uncontrollably, and less than five minutes later, the group which consisted of both Seigaku and Rikkaidai's regulars were all out of the room where they were 'imprisoned' in by their 'guard dog' who is currently not in the best of conditions.

"Good one, you two!" said Shuu, an amused smirk on his face.

Kaidoh nodded. "There's no way that he'll be okay after drinking _that,"_ he said as the group of them left the room, leaving behind a cook who was twitching uncontrollably on the floor in the waiting room, looking as if he was about to die.

"There is a no way that a cook who works on a ship would get seasick." Shiki remarked as they ran through the ship, searching for the hostages of the other team who was threatened to work for Sakurafubuki. "That cook was probably someone that Sakurafubuki had hired."

"You mean he's a fake cook?" asked Momoshiro whilst blinking owlishly.

"Well, we've kind of expected that yesterday when both our captains and vice-captains were threatened to throw the match or face the consequences, isn't it?" asked Ryou, rolling his eyes in annoyance.

"Yes, just like what Rika-san and Shinderui have both said last night," said Igawaki. "There are fake things all over the ship." He started to tick points off on his fingers as he did so. "The food that tasted bad. The marble that was actually wallpaper. This whole ship is probably fake. It's probably manufactured so that Sakurafubuki can rake in money from gambling on tennis."

"We'll go to inform Kirihara and Rika," said Kevin as the group of them arrived at the outdoor pool area of the ship. "You guys go and rescue the members of Sakurafubuki's team."

"Okay. It's probably a good idea if we split up here," said Shiki with a nod. "You guys stay safe."

"Will do," said Hikaru with a nod. "Let's go!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Point.

"_Game to Schweitz! Five games to four!"_

Rika and Takahiro watched silently as Kirihara made his way slowly to his serving position on the court. Rika sighed to herself silently and looked at her watch.

"This is as far as he can stall," she said.

Takahiro blinked as he stared at the stands before tapping Rika on the arm. "Rika… Kevin and the others…"

"Huh?"

Rika looked into the direction that Takahiro is looking in only to see Kevin standing on the top step of the deck, waving both his arms like flags – signalling by using the international 'everything's okay' gesture. The twins, Haruki, Ryou and Shuu were all grinning as they waved at them behind Kevin, and Seika was with them, smiling reassuredly at them.

Kirihara stared as he caught sight of his team before sighing in relief. "Just in time as well," he muttered. "Took you long enough for you guys to escape."

There was a glint in Kirihara's eyes as well as he tightened his grip onto the tennis ball.

It's finally time for him to get serious.

And he did so by using consecutive Twist Serves packed with full power which practically blasted his opponent away each and every time, finishing the match.

"My apologies, but I'm taking this one," said Kirihara coldly.

"Yatta! It's Kirihara-sempai's victory!" Seika cheered, and the twins even started a kind of jig dance on the deck, amusing everyone that had seen it.

Takahiro sighed as he removed his racquet from his bag before tying his shoelaces whilst kneeling down on the ground, slightly disappointed that he could not play against his brother, but in this case, surviving is much more important than some match.

"_We will now start the fifth match between Sakurafubuki tennis team's Jean-Jacques Marseault and Seishun-Rikkai's Echizen Rika."_

Takahiro blinked in confusion. "Huh?"

Rika stepped up beside him just then, the frame of her tennis racquet resting against her shoulder. The dark haired girl was living up to her name as 'Ice Princess' as there was such a cold look in her eyes that Takahiro was surprised that it hadn't yet start snowing.

"I will play in this match," said Rika before turning to look at Takahiro. "You will be playing in the next match with Tanaka Takashi as your opponent."

Takahiro can only stare as Rika walked out to the courts, stunned that she will do something like this for him. Though now that he thinks about it, Rika and Kirihara have always been the type to run the extra mile for their teammates.

"Rika…"

Takahiro almost felt sorry for Rika's opponent as he watched the fukubuchou of his team went all out on him without any mercy, and he frowned slightly as he saw that several of the balls ended up out of Rika's court when her opponent tried to return her moves.

"Her ESP tennis, huh?" mused Kirihara, knowing what Rika is doing immediately. "Her ultimate tennis move where she seals off all of her opponent's senses, starting from their sense of touch. She rarely brings this move out in a match as it _might _cause her opponent to swear off tennis for eternity if she's not careful. I guess that she must be really pissed at Sakurafubuki to actually bring her trump card out." Kirihara smirked. "It's over for her opponent. I'd say that this match is already over before it had even begun."

"_Game and match to Seishun-Rikkai's Echizen."_

**

* * *

**"Anyway, let's try to get to the deck," said Kenneth, the Seigaku team having rescued the imprisoned members of Sakurafubuki's team a while back.

"I found them! They're over here!" yelled some random member of the crew, and the Seigaku group gulped.

"Ah! They found us!" Kachiro squeaked as they ran for their lives in alarm.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Meanwhile, back on the courts, Rika frowned as she heard what had just been announced.

Sakurafubuki had given everyone present at this ship the chance to recoup all their losses in this one match as long as they bet on the 'correct' person playing in the singles one match. Takahiro don't look pleased as well at this information as he did some warm-ups to get ready for his match.

"I see," said Kirihara, narrowing his eyes slightly. "By increasing the bet on Takahiro, he plans to make back all his losses."

"Yeah." Rika agreed. "But it also means that there is a great amount of pressure on Takahiro."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Meanwhile, the remaining of the Rikkaidai team who weren't playing in the singles matches had also ended up being chased through the ship, and they were all separated whilst trying to outrun their pursuers, and the twins, Haruki and Kevin who have ended up together have somehow found themselves running into what seemed to be the boiler room of the ship.

Kevin blinked as he took in the appearance of the room that they'd run into. "T-This is…a boiler room?"

"A boiler room?" asked Haruki in confusion.

Kevin nodded. "It meant that the ship merely looks like a cruise ship on the surface," he explained. "But in reality, it is actually an aged ship that is still using a steam engine to run."

In the midst of Kevin's explanation about the ship and the boiler room, Hikaru had gone off exploring the room only to gulp in fear as he saw one of the ship's crew holding a gun in his hand as he made his way towards the unsuspecting three.

"You brats! Give it up!"

Kevin only had one thought running through his head as he stared at the gun in the hand of the man.

'_Oh shit.'_

He thought that he wouldn't see another gun in his life again once he moves away from Japan, but it seems like Fate simply loves playing pranks on him. Either that, or he has some really bad luck.

Hikari and Haruki who were both standing on either side of Kevin were both frozen in their tracks as well, and all three blinked owlishly as they saw Hikaru creeping up on the man in a crab-like style, trying to grab his gun, only to have the man discovering him, and Hikaru narrowly missed a gunshot aimed at his head which struck one of the pipes in the room instead.

"Now's the time to run!" Hikaru nearly screamed as the four of them took off running with the man stunned, and Kevin had a faint suspicion that that is actually the first time that the man had actually fired a gun.

"Wait!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Rika let out a small scream as she nearly fell over as the ship shook and trembled violently had it not been for Kirihara who caught hold of her arm to prevent her from falling. The skies were darkening as well – clear signs of rain – and the ship was trembling and shaking.

"Hey, why is the ship shaking?" asked some random person in the audience of the stands.

Right on cue, a part of the ship exploded, and the remaining of Rikkaidai's regulars as well as Seika who have met up with Seigaku looked worried, all looking left and right as several people in the part of the ship that they were in screamed in fright.

"Not good," muttered Kevin, looking left and right. "We'd best help evacuate the people. We have to abandon ship."

Takahiro and Takashi who were both still in the courts turned around at the sound of that explosion before random parts of the ship soon started exploding all over the place, and Takashi frowned before looking at his watch and then back at his brother.

"It's really too bad, but it looks like our game will have to end here, Takahiro," he said, and Takahiro blinked owlishly. "There is something that I have to do."

Takahiro blinked as Takashi ran off the courts. "Aniki…"

**

* * *

**Rika was reminded of a movie that she'd watched some time back with her brother which is that of a sinking ship as well, with some parts of the movie resembling what is currently happening to the ship that she is on _right now._ What is the name of that movie again? Titanic or something? In fact, Rika wouldn't be surprised if this ship _was_ named Titanic or Tetanic.

Rika rushed into the lift hallway of the ship only to be met with the sight of what seems to be nearly the entire population of the ship's guests rushing for the lifts, and she wondered where Takahiro is as she'd just seen him rushing after his brother, and she grabbed the first person that she saw who turned out to be Shinderui Shiki.

"Shiki, where's Takahiro?"

Shiki blinked. "I saw him heading over to Sakurafubuki's quarters earlier," he said.

"Damn!" Rika cursed, making a mental note to herself to assign Takahiro hundreds of laps to run until he drops dead for making her worry like this. "I have to find him!"

And she took off into the direction of Sakurafubuki's quarters.

"Rika!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Sakurafubuki's Quarters_

"Hurry!" Sakurafubuki shouted at the 'cook' as they packed goodness-knows-what into the black bags currently left opened on the ground of his room, and upon closer look, one can see several firearms and what seemed to be drugs in the bags. "We don't have much time left now!"

"I know, sir!" The cook replied hastily, trying to pack as many of those firearms and drugs into the bags as quickly as he could.

"Unfortunately, neither of you will be going anywhere," said a drawling voice, and both Sakurafubuki and the cook turned around at the voice only to see Tanaka Takashi standing at the doorway of Sakurafubuki's quarters.

"You are…! Tanaka!"

"I'm afraid that this is game over for you, Sakurafubuki Hikomaro," said Takashi grimly before unzipping his tennis jacket and pulling out a badge which Sakurafubuki would recognise even if he's dead, and the mentioned nearly choked on his own spit as he saw the badge, his eyes nearly bugging out of his head.

"That is…!" Sakurafubuki stammered before he looked at Takashi with wide and frightened eyes. "Y-You're from the FBI!"

"You got that right," said Takashi grimly before placing his badge back into his pocket. "To be more precise, I'm a secret agent for them. An informant of sorts. You've sure given us a lot of trouble these past ten years. And I'm afraid that I can't afford to let you escape. If I do, plenty of people are going to suffer, especially with your ship just going boom for some reason awhile back." And he took out a grenade from within his pocket, and the faces of Sakurafubuki and the cook paled. "This…is going to be my last job. My only regret is that I won't be able to make things up with my brother, and see my parents for the last time. Even if I die here…I'm taking you down with me! Seeing as how it's the only way to save my brother!"

And he pulled the pin of the grenade in his hand before throwing it into the middle of the room.

During those five seconds before the grenade went off, many things happened.

"ANIKI!"

Takashi's eyes widened in horror as he heard the voice of his younger brother and turned to see Takahiro standing behind him, panting heavily, and barely a few moments later, Echizen Rika and Shinderui Shiki both turned up, both panting heavily as well.

Rika and Shiki both caught sight of the pin in Takashi's hand and both paled considerably, especially as they both knew what it was immediately. The older teen immediately threw the three pre-teens against the floor of Sakurafubuki's room before shielding them with his body as best as he could.

"Get down!"

_**BOOM!**_

Debris, pieces of the ceiling as well as the glass of the windows and doors of Sakurafubuki's room were immediately blown apart, and the force of it rocked the entire ship, and the last thing that Rika remembered before blacking out is that of an extreme pain in her left ear, and she knew no more.

* * *

_A/N: Sorry for the cliff-hanger! And as I'm sure most of you would have noticed by now, I've changed my penname especially since a few days ago, I've received a PM from .-.666.-. OniTenshi .-.666.-. He/She was kind enough to give me a heads up regarding a certain author on FFnet, and I'm not about to mention any names here, that had announced on his/her story that I'm __**plagiarising **__some Naruto yaoi works!_

_Okay, I'm going to be fair here. I admit that I've committed a similar mistake to that on my last account a few months before I've decided to switch accounts, but I've since learned from my mistake! Don't people on FFnet give people anymore chances to repent from their mistakes nowadays?! The reason that I'm receiving hate mail is only part of the reason why I've switched accounts._

_Also…I'M NOT A FUCKING HOMOPHOBIA!! I have no problems with people in gay relationships! I might be uncomfortable with the idea, but I DO NOT condemn it! I had a habit of writing gender switch fics because I don't feel comfortable writing yaoi, and if I __am __really a fucking homophobia, would I even __bother __to read yaoi fics?! Also, for information's sake, one of my best friends is gay, and he shall remain nameless since I think I'm the only one among our circle who knew this, and gay relationships are not accepted and tolerated in my country by a large number of society, and I don't have any problems with it as long as he don't start kissing his boyfriend in front of me. Besides, if you can stake a claim that I'm 'plagiarising' people's stuff, so as to speak, why don't you __**say it to my face **__instead of __**talking behind my back?!**_

_Sorry for the rant, but I really need to get it off my chest. Also, as a side-note, I have run out of ideas for a few of my fics: Child of the Sannin and Spirit Hunter. I will be taking it down within the week, so if anyone would like to adopt those two fics, please send me a PM about it._

_Also, I have some requests to start some of my new stories which summaries I've posted up on my profile, but as I can't make up my mind to start which ones, I'm going to have to ask your opinions. Vote for your favourite from each category (one from Prince of Tennis category, one from Naruto category, and one from Harry Potter category)._

_Thank you, and I hope that you like this chapter, and please read and review!_

_**Upcoming Stories:**_

_**My Sister, My Protector (Naruto)**_

_AU OC story. What if Naruto had an older sister there for him throughout his childhood in Konoha who protected and brought him up? But even with both their heritages brought out into the open, things aren't so simple…_ _Itachi/Narumi. Naruto/FemHaku_

_**The Final Hope (Naruto)**_

_AU FemNaru modern fic. The country is currently at war, and Namikaze Shiki was currently one of the war doctors at the army camp with several of her friends from the same medic school that they've gone to. But a deadly virus had been going around, killing those infected within 36 hours, and Shiki had been asked to lead an investigation into this virus… Itachi/FemNaru_

_**Legion of Darkness (Naruto)**_

_AU FemNaru. The Jinchuuriki are spoken about only in legends. People with special abilities which sets them apart from others and which gives them the power to bend the universe itself. When demons started infesting the land and Uchiha Itachi, a mercenary for hire was told to meet up with his brother who was protecting a princess from one of the lands, a partner was sent to back him up, and said partner turned out to be one of the Jinchuuriki… Itachi/FemNaru_

_**Ninja Legacy (Naruto)**_

_FemNaru. When the war between the Akatsuki and Konoha tore the entire elemental nation apart, the kages of Suna, Kumo and Konoha gave the Jinchuurikis from their individual villages one final task: protect the Forbidden Scrolls and their villages' secrets. Now in the year 2007, fights between the ninjas are taking place once again, and Namikaze Shiki, Sabaku no Gaara and Nii Yugito must once again take up arms and fight to defend the world…or risk it disappearing. Naruto/Nabari no Ou crossover. Raiko/FemNaru_

_**Ninja XIII (Naruto)**_

_FemNaru. After the Kyuubi attack, Chrnos – the organisation which Uzumaki Kushina had worked for in the past received news of her child and a plea from Kushina to take Namikaze Shiki away from Konoha and the elemental nations. Now years later, Namikaze Shiki is an 'eraser', an assassin for Chrnos, the Zero Number…and she is out for some blood. Naruto/Black Cat crossover_

_**A New Family, A New Life (Harry Potter)**_

_AU FemHarry. What if Voldemort did die during the attack at Godric Hollow when Lily and James Potter killed him mere moments before breathing their last? Refusing to allow Dumbledore to place Hailey with the Dursleys, Frank and Alice Longbottom took Hailey in instead so that she can have a family. Cedric/FemHarry_

_**Different Beginnings (Harry Potter)**_

_FemHarry. What if Hilda Potter ran away from her relatives at the age of five, having had enough, and disappeared from the Ministry's sights ever since? Now, seven years later, the Girl-Who-Lived is back, yet she is more dangerous, and she seemed to have her own plans. Cedric/FemHarry. Semi-dark fic. Siding with Voldemort. Fake Prophecy. Dumbledore and Weasley bashing._

_**Blue Moon (Prince of Tennis)**_

_FemRyo. Echizen Rika and Yukimura Seiichi are the former leaders of squad Zero - the highest ranks that a shinigami could reach - who had deserted their home and had discarded their lives as shinigamis when everything that Soul Society and the King had done goes against what they had stood for. Now, nearly five hundred years later, the two were the leaders of the Vizards, and when Soul Society got wind of their existences, the two of them, along with the Vizards, have to take up arms once more to defend their homes as well as the friends that they've made in Phoenix Star Academy. Prince of Tennis/Bleach crossover_

_**Hellfire (Prince of Tennis)**_

_After being involved in an accident which had nearly killed her, Echizen Rika started to develop the ability to see the future. At first, it was fun by predicting little things like the next numbers of the lottery draw and so on. But things soon turned horrific when Rika started seeing 'shadows' that attached themselves to people, and those who somehow got those 'shadows' attached to them always died within moments or days after that. Rika then uncovered the mystery of those 'shadows' and traced back the origins of her ability and soon found out that there are things in this world which are better left unknown… Yukimura/FemRyo_


	50. In the Hospital Again?

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Fifty: In the Hospital…Again?**

The entire fiasco with Sakurafubuki Hikomaro and his cruise ship was splashed all over the international news, and the 'business tycoon' was also exposed as a tyrant with illegal dealings in drugs and firearms as well as the underworld, and he was _supposed _to be sentenced to at least fifty years in prison if it wasn't for the fact that the marine police as well as the FBI couldn't find anything large enough of him to fill a matchbox.

Tanaka Takashi's true identity was revealed by one of the top ranking FBI agents who had came to pay a visit to all those who were somehow dragged into this entire mess by Sakurafubuki as well – a half-Japanese half-American young man in his early twenties by the name of Ethan Hayner.

Apparently, Tanaka Takashi was working for the FBI as a secret agent – an informant of sorts, and he had been working undercover within Sakurafubuki's inner circle for the past few years in order to gather enough information on him as the man was as slippery as a snake, always managing to sneak away whenever the FBI had news on his whereabouts.

Also, both Ethan and Takashi have their orders from the higher ups within the FBI that in the worst case scenario, if the FBI can't arrive in time with the marine police to apprehend Sakurafubuki after Takashi had tipped them off about the fact that a couple of middle school kids have somehow gotten dragged into this mess, Takashi had their permission to finish Sakurafubuki off, though naturally, Ethan didn't expect for Takashi to take it this far that he nearly ended up killing _himself._

Tanaka Takashi, Tanaka Takahiro, Shinderui Shiki as well as one Echizen Rika were all taken to the Morita Hospital in Japan the moment that the marine police as well as the FBI have managed to get the teams of Seigaku and Rikkaidai back to the mainland, and all four were rushed into immediate surgery.

Takahiro got away unscathed saved for a few scratches and a sprained left wrist, considering the fact that he was mostly shielded by his older brother's body when the grenade had gone off within the room, and the Chessmaster was released immediately from the hospital after he's woken up.

The vice captain of Rikkaidai and the captain of Seigaku, on the other hand…weren't so lucky.

Probably due to the fact that the two were nearest to the explosion when the grenade had gone off, Rika's left eardrum was injured, and the doctors feared that she might lose her hearing in said ear, and were currently looking into any treatments for it. Shiki, on the other hand, had a stray glass shard entering his left eye from one of the windows shattering into pieces when the grenade had gone off. And whilst Rika runs a risk of losing her hearing in her left ear, Shiki runs a risk of losing his _sight _in his left eye. And both Shiki and Rika require surgery for their injuries _after_ a team of specialists and doctors have decided how to go about with those surgeries as it's extremely risky.

Tanaka Takashi on the other hand…is in critical condition, especially because he had been protecting his younger brother as well as Shiki and Rika when the grenade had gone off. The doctors had also stated that it's a miracle that he's still alive as it is, and he is still currently in the ICU unit.

One Atobe Keigo wasn't pleased when he got to the Morita hospital after receiving Kevin's frantic phone call about his baby cousin, the blonde under strict instructions by Rika to _not _call her boyfriend and their sempais as the dark haired girl knew exactly how overprotective they could be.

"_AGAIN?!" _Atobe Keigo sighed as he eyed his cousin who had a bandage covering her left ear to prevent further damage to it. "I swear that both you and Shinderui must be twins or something in your past life! Why are you both always in the hospital TOGETHER every damn time?!"

Rika nearly groaned. "Like hell if I know!" she snapped. "Anyway…have you seen my brother?"

Atobe was sombre at this point in time. "Ryoga? I thought that I've seen him heading to the ICU unit awhile back," he said. "He's probably going to visit Tanaka." He frowned slightly. "I have no idea that he knew Tanaka."

"Yeah. Me either."

**

* * *

**_ICU Unit  
__Morita Hospital_

Echizen Ryoga was extremely silent as he headed towards the ICU unit of the hospital before entering Tanaka Takashi's ward room where one Ethan Hayner was also present. The patient himself was heavily wrapped in bandages around his left arm and neck as well as around his forehead, with his right eye being bandaged in gauze as well. All in all, he looked like he had just been through hell and back.

Ryoga sighed as he shut the door behind him, eyeing Takashi who was sitting up in his bed, being hooked up to several machines. "You know, I don't think that I have to tell you 'I told you so'," said Ryoga severely to a sheepish looking Tanaka Takashi. "I _told _you not to take it this far! We can always track Sakurafubuki down. You nearly died, do you know that? Your brother was nearly hysterical earlier when he thought that you'd died that the doctors have to give him a sedative in order to calm him down."

Next to Ryoga, Ethan sighed, shaking his head. "And I know for sure that I've also told you not to take it this far!" Ethan scolded. "You're lucky that you managed to make it out in one piece!" He eyed Takashi sternly. "And your brother, Shinderui as well as Ryoga's younger sister nearly all died as well!"

Takashi looked both embarrassed and sheepish at the same time. "How are they?" he asked.

Ethan sighed, looking at Takashi. "Thanks to you, all three are alright," he said. "Your brother got off with the lightest injuries among the three. He only suffered from a sprained wrist and a few scratches, and was immediately discharged after being tended to. The other two, however, have to stay in the hospital for some time. Shinderui had his left eye injured, and he's currently waiting for a surgery to remove the glass shard that had somehow entered his eye when the explosion had gone off. Ryoga's younger sister had her left eardrum injured, and she runs a risk of losing her hearing in the left ear completely. A team of specialists have been put together by the hospital to figure out how to go about with their individual surgeries. And do you have any idea how long I've spent on the phone with the Superintendent when he caught wind of your latest stunt?" He asked sternly, hands planted firmly on his hips. "It took me everything that I have to convince him not to dismiss you from the FBI ranks! You're lucky that your track record is pretty clean so far, and that you've done a lot for us. That's about the only thing that prevented the Superintendent from dismissing you."

"Yeah well, about that…" said Takashi sheepishly. "I would like to leave the FBI." He looked at Ethan who had a knowing look on his face, along with Ryoga. "This mission…is my last. I've told you that when I first accepted the mission to track down Sakurafubuki. I've been away from my family for long enough. Enough is enough."

Ethan sighed and nodded. "I thought that you might say that," he said. "Very well. I'll run things through by the Superintendent."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Two Days Later  
__Morita Hospital_

"In the hospital…again?" Marui Bunta nearly groaned as he stared at his childhood friend who was currently in her hospital room, reading a book of some sort, a gauze over her left ear to prevent further injury to it. Rika looked extremely sheepish at this. "I swear…both you and Shinderui must be twins or something in your past lives! Why are you both always in the hospital together every single damn time?!"

Rika who is recently a little hard of hearing because of the fact that currently, she can only hear out of one ear managed to catch what Marui had said especially because the redhead was speaking quite loudly. "Kei said the same thing as well," she said. "Sorry to worry you."

Sanada shook his head. "Kevin and Kirihara nearly gave us all heart attacks when they told us what had happened," he said. "And Yukimura nearly suffered from cardiac arrest when he heard from your cousin that you're in the hospital…again."

Yukimura looked extremely embarrassed at this.

"So what's going to happen?" asked Yagyuu with concern.

Rika gave a shrug. "Currently waiting for a surgery to set things right," she said. "My brother is practically having kittens over me, so I'll appreciate it if you'll not treat me like some fragile thing that is about to break." She said quite irritably, and everyone laughed. "The doctor had just been in here earlier before you came about the surgery which will be held in another two days. He told me that I run a risk of losing the hearing in my left ear. Either completely, or it might affect my hearing severely." She sighed. "Shiki's surgery is on the same day as mine as well."

Everyone was silent at this. They knew that Rika's senses were sharper than most, mostly honed by her ESP tennis, particularly her hearing. How will this affect her tennis play from now on if it _did _affect her hearing?

"And what are you going to do if it _did _affect your hearing then?" asked Jackal with concern.

Rika shrugged. "I'll deal with it," she said. "I'll find a way. I always do. It isn't the end of the world even if I've lost my hearing. Shiki is far worse off than myself. He runs a risk of losing his _sight. _At least I might still be able to deal with it even if I've lost my hearing, but he runs a risk of losing his _sight."_

Everyone was silent for a while before Yukimura spoke in concern. "You're not concerned even if you did lose your hearing?" he asked.

"No." Rika lied fluently.

The truth is that it _did _affect her in more ways than one, but she's not about to let the others know about it. They're already worried enough about her, and not to mention that the Junior Senbatsu Camp is coming up, and she didn't want to worry her team and affect their performance in the camp. And speaking of which…

"I've heard about the Junior Senbatsu Camp from Kevin," said Rika, changing the subject quickly. "He said something about there being short of one coach?"

"Yeah," said Niou, nodding his head. "Apparently, Seigaku's coach had some health complications, and she wouldn't be able to attend the camp as a coach, so they'll be short of one coach. And the camp will be commencing in another two days. The Board isn't sure what to do as well."

"I see…"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Three Days Later  
__Junior Senbatsu Camp_

"Great. We're in a tight pinch." Jyousei Shounan's coach, Hanamura Aoi sighed in the meeting room set apart for the coaches for the camp – herself, Hyotei's Sakaki Taro as well as Seigaku's Echizen Ryoga. "There are four groups for this camp to pick the eight regulars for the Senbatsu team, and one team is currently short of a coach. What are we going to do? And where is Ryoga-kun?"

"He went to the hospital," said Sakaki, walking towards the window and seeing one of the groups having a mock match of some sort in one of the tennis courts. "His sister had her surgery yesterday, and the hospital had just called him, stating that she's already woken up. They're currently running some tests to see if her hearing is affected, and as his parents are currently away, he has to be there."

"His sister, huh?" mused Hanamura. "And if I recall, Seigaku's Shinderui is also injured in the same accident, isn't it?"

"Yeah. In his eye," said Sakaki, tapping his left eye as he spoke. "His surgery is yesterday as well. One of the friends of my music students' is his cousin. Why?"

"Sakaki-sensei, how would you rank both their skill levels in tennis?" asked Hanamura mysteriously.

"Eh?" Sakaki blinked at this strange question before proceeding to answer it. "Well, they're both easily at National level, and probably more than enough of a match for most high schoolers. Why?"

"Then how do you feel about bringing them both in as replacement coaches?" asked Hanamura out of the blue, and Sakaki nearly choked on his coffee. "I know that they're still recuperating from their injuries, but they should still be more than capable of coaching even with their injuries. And not to mention that more than half the camp respects them for their skill, and with those two here, they might motivate the camp to work even harder."

"Hmm…" Sakaki frowned. "You have a point there, but I have to see what those two thinks as well. And it might help the Rikkaidai and Seigaku players to cheer up a little as well. Those two teams are so down recently that it's not even funny."

**

* * *

**_Two Days Later  
__Tennis Court_

"This is not even funny…" said Fuuma Hikari miserably whilst squatting down on the ground, watching a tennis ball roll away as the two Hyotei members in their group played a match in the tennis courts. "We're currently the only group without a coach, and at the rate that we're going, even with Kevin helping us, we don't stand a chance in getting nominated for the Senbatsu team."

"And not to mention that the others are quite down recently." His twin pointed out. "We have no idea how the fukubuchou is doing after her surgery, and the buchou has no news whatsoever as well. And no one had seen Ryoga-san all day."

"We're currently lacking a coach for our group," said Ohtori Choutarou reasonably, having finished his match with Hiyoshi and walking over to the group of the four Rikkaidai players, with the others in their group doing some warm-ups a little way away. "This is the best that we can do to improve without the guidance of a coach."

"That's true," said Takahiro hesitantly. "But…"

"Then how would you guys feel if we became your coaches for the remainder of the camp?" said a voice, and the entire group blinked and turned towards the source of the voice at the entrance of the tennis court that they were currently in.

Echizen Rika and Shinderui Shiki were currently standing at the entrance of the court, both in polo T-shirts and pants, with a duffel bag slung over their shoulders each. Rika had a bandaged left hand with a gauze over her left ear still, and Shiki had a gauze over his left eye as well as bandages around his neck.

Rika smiled lightly and raised her currently un-bandaged hand up in a light wave.

"Yo."

* * *

_A/N: I think that this might just be the shortest chapter that I've ever done. I apologise for that, as well as the fact if this chapter is a little too rushed. Next chapter will be a lot longer, I promise you that. Also, I won't be describing the entire Senbatsu games as it's a major pain having to make up more OCs, and they aren't a major point of the story anyway._

_Anyway, I hope that you like this chapter. Also, please vote which of the upcoming stories is your favourite, as I would like to begin at least one of them, and I have no idea which to begin. Also, I hope that you like this chapter, and please read and review!_

_**Upcoming Stories:**_

_**Vim and Vigor (Prince of Tennis)**_

_FemRyo. Yukimura Seiichi is the Prince of Japan. Echizen Rika is an agent from a secret organisation sent to protect him. But things soon grew complicated when Yukimura fell for Rika without knowing her true identity, and complications arouse when assassins soon came for his life._

_**Blue Moon (Prince of Tennis)**_

_FemRyo. Echizen Rika and Yukimura Seiichi are the former leaders of squad Zero – the highest ranks that a shinigami could reach – who had deserted their home and had discarded their lives as shinigamis when everything that Soul Society and the King had done goes against what they had stood for. Now, nearly five hundred years later, the two were the leaders of the Vizards, and when Soul Society got wind of their existences, the two of them, along with the Vizards, have to take up arms once more to defend their homes as well as the friends that they've made in Phoenix Star Academy. Prince of Tennis/Bleach crossover_

_**Grim and Vigor (Naruto)**_

_AU FemNaru. After Uzumaki Kushina was murdered by the villagers of Konoha in an attack, Namikaze-Uzumaki Hikari snapped and left Konoha, swearing vengeance. Now years later, Namikaze Hikari is back as a Hidden-nin__…__and she is out for some blood. Konoha's to be exact._

_**Ninja Legacy (Naruto)**_

_FemNaru. When the war between the Akatsuki and Konoha tore the entire elemental nations apart, the kages of Suna, Kumo and Konoha gave the Jinchuurikis from their individual villages one final task: protect the Forbidden Scrolls and their villages' secrets. Now in the year 2007, fights between the ninjas are taking place once again, and Namikaze Shiki, Sabaku no Gaara and Nii Yugito must once again take up arms and fight to defend the world__…__or risk it disappearing. Naruto/Nabari no Ou crossover. Raiko/FemNaru_

**_Different Beginnings (Harry Potter)_**

_FemHarry. What if Hilda Potter ran away from her relatives at the age of five, having had enough, and disappeared from the Ministry's sights ever since? Now, seven years later, the Girl-Who-Lived is back, yet she is more dangerous, and she seemed to have her own plans. Cedric/FemHarry. Semi-dark fic. Siding with Voldemort. Fake Prophecy. Dumbledore and Weasley bashing._


	51. Hey Coach!

Hey, sorry for the late updates for awhile. I simply _cannot_ find the time to update any of my stories for awhile, and I also happen to have a lack of inspiration for this story. Anyway, my ideas are now flowing, so here is a new chapter!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Fifty One: Hey Coach!**

_Coaches' Meeting Room  
__Junior Senbatsu Camp_

"Thank you for managing to make it here at such short notice," said Hanamura Aoi warmly, after having greeted the two pre-teens – the captain and vice-captain of Seigaku and Rikkaidai Fuzoku respectively. "I'm so sorry for asking you to do this, but we're currently short on one coach, and there are really none that we could call on to fill in as a replacement coach."

"Don't worry about it. We understand," said Rika, exchanging looks with Shiki. "So who are in our group?"

"Oh. These are the profiles of those in your group," said Hanamura, giving the dark haired girl a folder in which consisted of the profiles as well as the skill and tennis techniques of each individual.

Rika frowned a little as she flipped through the folder with Shiki reading over her shoulder. "Three from Rikkaidai, two from Hyotei, one from Seigaku and one from Jyousei," she muttered. "Talk about a bunch of misfits." She sighed as she closed the folder with a snap. "Well, we're going to have to make this work."

Shiki grinned. "Think that you can handle them?" he asked, knowing quite well that Rika is the better among the two of them at the actual coaching and teaching part, being the one to train majority of her tennis team. He'll be better off at assisting the girl.

Rika grinned back. "Who do you think that you are talking to?" she asked. "If I can handle Kirihara, Kevin and Hikaru, I can handle them."

**XXXXXX**

_Cafeteria  
__Junior Senbatsu Camp_

Everyone was staring.

Everyone was whispering about the sudden appearances of Japan's top two middle school tennis players who were both currently standing at the front of the cafeteria that day at lunch time. Several of the tennis players who were present were glancing at the bandages around their various limbs, wondering what they're here for if they're still injured.

"Oi, what are they doing here?"

"I've heard that they're supposed to still be in the hospital recovering from their injuries after that cruise ship fiasco from a month back."

Haruki who was in a different group from the twins and Takahiro frowned and leaned over towards Kevin who was sitting beside him. The two were in Ryoga's group, and were both currently sitting at a table with a few of the players in their group whom they were familiar with.

"Oi, do you know that the fukubuchou is coming today?" asked Haruki quietly.

Kevin shook his head. "Rika didn't say anything about that when I called her yesterday," he said, confusion in his tone.

"Well, since they're here, I suppose that their treatment is finished," muttered Kamio.

"Please be quiet." Hanamura called out, and the cafeteria immediately fell silent with the occasional whisper and titter. "First off, on the matter of the missing coach, we have decided to accept Shinderui Shiki-kun as well as Echizen Rika-kun here, in the capacity of co-coaches."

"_Huh?!"_

Titters started to break out all over the cafeteria, and Momoshiro blinked and blinked. "Coach?" he echoed. "What does that mean? Don't those two wish to participate in the Junior Senbatsu Camp themselves?"

"Originally, the both of them were in eligible positions to participate in this camp as a player alongside each and every one of you. However, they are both still recovering from their injuries sustained in the accident that they were both involved in a month back, so that is impossible. And so, we've asked for them both to come all the way to the camp from the hospital where they were still undergoing rehabilitation to fill in as co-coaches."

"I see…" said Kevin, nodding to himself.

"Excuse me…"

The attention of everyone present in the cafeteria turned towards the raised hand which belongs to Wakato Hiyoshi of Hyotei Gakuen – a member of the group that Shiki and Rika both were supposed to be coaching in place of the currently hospitalised Ryuzaki Sumire.

"What is it?" asked Sakaki Taro with a raised brow, though he had quite a good idea what it is about.

There was the sound of slight dragging as the current captain of Hyotei stood up from his chair, his chair getting pushed backwards a little with this action, and the teen faced his coach. From beside him, Ohtori Choutarou sighed and shook his head.

"I mean no offense when I say this, but while I've heard of both their tennis skills and excellence on the court, they are both still middle school students like us – even younger than most of us in this room. I still hadn't seen their real abilities, so I can't consent to having them coach us."

Takahiro sighed and shook his head whilst Hikaru muttered something sarcastically under his breath which sounds something like, "Do you have your eyes closed during the finals of last year's Nationals?"

His twin who was sitting next to him snorted and quickly turned his laugh into a loud hacking cough.

"Echizen-kun. Shinderui-kun. How would you both respond to this kind of opinion?" asked Sakaki, turning towards the two pre-teens in question.

Shiki and Rika exchanged looks before Rika shrugged and Shiki sighed before nodding. Honestly. One could have easily mistaken them both as twins for their understanding of each other and even 'speaking' without even opening their mouths.

"I think that the doubt is quite reasonable," said Shiki calmly. "If truth be told, we have expected something like this coming from some of you." He looked at Hiyoshi straight in the eye. "Very well. Let's come to a compromise then. Rika will actually be the one to be doing most of the coaching during the two weeks of camp whilst I'll just be assisting her due to my…injury." He coughed, and the eyes of everyone present went towards the gauze on Shiki's left eye. "As for whether or not you can accept Rika and me as your coaches, you can decide at today's practice later on in the afternoon." Shiki smirked at Hiyoshi. "Do you find that satisfactory?"

Titters broke out all over the cafeteria once more, and Takahiro smirked, his hands clasped behind his head. "He sure didn't know what he's in for." The Chessmaster smirked. "No one underestimates our fukubuchou."

Hikari snorted. "For sure," he said, unconsciously rubbing a spot on his left wrist.

**XXXXXX**

_Two Hours Later  
__Tennis Courts_

"If you're talking about _actual coaching, _I believe that the fukubuchou can do it," said Hikaru, his hands clasped behind his head as he leaned against the wire fence with his twin next to him. "She has been the one to actually coach us in Rikkaidai, and you know the reputation of our team."

Ohtori sighed. "If it's Rika-san, I believe that she can do it."

Hiyoshi frowned. "I'll believe it when I see it."

Takahiro sighed, eyeing Hiyoshi. It sure seems like that guy had been unbelievably sore about losing to Rika in an unofficial match last year when Hyotei had a friendly practice match with Rikkaidai.

"Even if you say that, Rika can't play a match right now—" Takahiro was cut off as he saw Shiki walking up to Rika and giving her a tennis racquet which Takahiro recognised as his fukubuchou's own.

Hikari blinked. "Oi, Rika. Surely you can't be planning on playing in a match, are you?" he asked with concern. "Is your hand really alright?" He eyed Rika's bandaged left hand as he spoke.

"Don't worry, I'll go easy," said Rika, waving Hikari's concerns off. "I'll use my right hand. There'll be no problem." She turned towards Hiyoshi, a strange glint in her eyes which all her teammates recognised immediately, and Hikaru grinned to himself. "Hiyoshi-san. Should we have a little practice right now?"

Hiyoshi gritted his teeth together. "Do you seriously think that 'keeping it easy' is practice?" he asked.

Rika grinned inwardly. Well, Hanamura and Sakaki didn't say anything about not riling Hiyoshi up a little, and she _did _want to see what her cousin's successor is capable of…

"You needn't be concerned about me," she said. "I will be fine even if you use your full power."

Hiyoshi growled. "I don't think that would be real practice."

"Try it," said Rika coolly, her racquet resting against her shoulder.

Hiyoshi gritted his teeth. "Do you seriously intend to make me angry?"

Rika smirked.

**

* * *

**"Is the fukubuchou…really going to be alright?" wondered Hikari.

"She'll be alright," said Takahiro. "I hope." He added as an afterthought.

Hiyoshi growled. _'That self-confidence of yours__… I will destroy it.'_

"Then let's start," said Rika calmly, her racquet in her right hand with the tennis ball in her left. She then threw the ball up into the air and served a normal serve which flew towards Hiyoshi's court.

"A normal serve?"

"That isn't like Rika!"

Hiyoshi growled as he returned the ball only to have his eyes widening in horror when he saw that Rika was already at the net before he could even blink. _'W-When did she get there?!'_

Rika smiled. "Too slow!" she said as she smashed the ball which entered the court near his feet.

Hiyoshi breathed heavily, his eyes wide. _'W-What the—? Echizen Rika__… What is she?'_

Shiki whistled, impressed.

There was the sound of light footsteps behind Hiyoshi just then, and she turned only to see Jyousei's Kiriyama Daichi behind him.

"Wakato, switch with me," he said before Hiyoshi nodded and moved off the court, and Daichi prepared himself to receive Rika's ball. _'I don't care even if you're the vice-captain of Rikkaidai, Kantou's number one team. I'll crush you with my power.'_

Rika served a fast serve to Daichi who caught up to it easily, and his eyes widened at the amount of power packed behind that ball, forcing the power player to actually use both hands to keep a hold of his racquet for a few moments before the ball forced his tennis racquet flying out of his hands.

"W-What power…" Hikaru muttered, his eyes wide.

By this point in time, nearly all the players from the other groups have arrived at the scene to watch Rika playing against some of the players from the group that she is supposed to be coaching together with Shiki.

Kevin sighed. "She's showing off, isn't it?" he muttered.

"She can do that…even without going all out?" Fudomine's Ibu muttered. "I can't believe it…"

Takahiro chuckled, taking a quick look around. "Looks like everyone wants to watch Rika."

"I'll go next," said Ohtori solemnly. "Is it okay if I serve, Rika-san?"

"It's okay with me."

Shiki frowned. "Ohtori-san's Scud Serve is on par with a pro," he said. "Returning it is virtually impossible. But if it's Rika…" He grinned, rubbing his left wrist unconsciously.

Kaidoh snorted from his place next to him. Apparently, Ohtori Choutarou had forgotten just what techniques that the vice-captain of Rikkaidai had in her arsenal. Either that or he _really _had his eyes closed during the finals of last year's Nationals.

Ryou frowned a little. "Shuu, will her hand be able to take it?" he asked, turning towards his best friend.

"She should be alright," said Shuu. "If she can serve a ball with that much power earlier, then she should be able to receive the Scud Serve with no problem."

Back on the courts, Ohtori is preparing himself to serve. "Ik… Kyuu… Nyuu… Kon!"

Rika narrowed her eyes slightly and even before the ball actually impacted with Ohtori's racquet, she had already moved to the left side of the court, and the eyes of everyone present widened as the ball flew towards where Rika is.

Kevin sighed. "Her observation ability at work again?"

Ohtori was taken aback when the ball impacted with Rika's racquet and she returned it simply towards the older teen, with the ball entering his court.

"She returned that Scud Serve as if it were nothing!" Kamio gasped.

Ohtori blinked and blinked as if he couldn't believe his eyes, turning his head back only to see the ball rolling away towards the back of the court, and he smiled before turning back towards Rika.

"I see now," said Ohtori with a light shrug. _'She actually knew where the ball is going to go?' _He smiled. "This is enough for me." He bowed to Rika slightly.

Igawaki Haruse smirked. "It is over," he muttered before moving away from the courts, a can of some beverage in his hand which he had gotten earlier from some drink machine.

Kayama Shuuri smirked. "As expected from the vice-captain of Rikkaidai Fuzoku," he muttered before tagging along after his best friend.

Rika turned towards the remaining members of her group. "Who will be next?" she asked. "Kaidoh-san? Or Takahiro? Which one of you will be up next?"

Kaidoh twitched a little. "No, I'll decline," he said. "I've seen enough of your ability."

"I'll pass as well, fukubuchou," said Takahiro, waving one hand about.

Rika smiled, and Shiki chuckled.

**XXXXXX**

_That Night  
__Junior Senbatsu Camp_

Kevin stretched a little in the room that he shared with Takahiro. "Alright, today's reflection: done," he said to himself before standing up and walking towards the window. Takahiro is currently in the bathroom having his shower, and the sounds of running water could be heard.

The night view was beautiful that night as it is a clear night without any clouds, and the stars were all out. Kevin was silent for several moments, taking in the sight of the starry night. A long time ago, he used to watch the stars with Rika and Yuki when they were younger in America.

And speaking of Rika…

Kevin frowned as he saw Rika walking along the path that takes her to the beach not too far away from the camp dormitories.

'_Rika?'_

**

* * *

**Rika took in the fresh air and could even smell the salt of the seawater as well as the sea breeze as the wind happens to be blowing in the direction of the camp dormitories of the Junior Senbatsu Camp.

"Rika."

Rika turned around only to see Kevin jogging up to her, and she raised a curious eyebrow. "You're still up?" she asked. "You still have a long day tomorrow. Why don't you get some rest?"

"You hadn't told me what the doctor had said," said Kevin bluntly, going straight to the point. He knew that there is no point in beating around the bush with Rika. And he watched as Rika paled slightly, and raised an eyebrow. "Rika?"

Rika was silent for several moments as she touched the gauze covering her left ear before turning towards Kevin, an unusually serious expression on her face. "Kevin, let's take a walk," she said before turning and leading the way towards the beach. "There is something that I have to tell you."

**

* * *

**Kevin stared at Rika as if she had suddenly grown two new heads or as if she had suddenly spoken in Greek. He didn't even notice that it is currently high tide and that the seawater had sloshed over his shoes, making it wet.

"It can't be," muttered Kevin, his eyes wide as he stared at Rika's unusually grim expression. "There's no way…" He shook his head from side-to-side slowly. "But you've just went for that operation, didn't you? Isn't it a success?"

Rika shook her head, turning towards Kevin. "Before the operation, the doctor did tell me the risks that came with it," she said, touching the gauze currently covering her left ear. "I can completely lose my hearing in the left ear, or I will lose my hearing partially in said ear. The latter happened. And from what Shiki told me, his eyesight of his left eye was affected as well. He couldn't see things as clearly in the left eye that he could before. I guess you can say that our operations aren't a complete failure, but it isn't a complete success either."

Kevin looked downcast at this. "There's no way…" He nearly whispered. He then turned towards Rika. "Does Ryoga-san know about this? And does Yukimura do?"

Rika sighed and nodded. "Yeah. They both knew about it," she said. "My brother knew because he was there when the doctor told me the results of the operation, and Seiichi happens to be there as well." She glanced at Kevin and smiled a little. The look on Kevin's face seems as if someone had just run over his puppy. Pretty ironic, seeing as how _she's _the one who had lost her hearing. "What's that look on your face, Kev? It's not the end of the world. I only lost part of my hearing. I can still hear out of my left ear."

"But…"

"I'll deal with it," said Rika, looking towards the sea. "It won't affect my tennis skills." She tightened her hands into fists by her sides. "It won't."

**XXXXXX**

_The Next Day  
__Tennis Courts_

Hikari dropped his water canister, his mouth wide opened in shock, with his eyes wide as he stared at the ongoing match between Tanaka Takahiro and Wakato Hiyoshi on the courts.

Rika and Shiki have both been called by Sakaki earlier, and the two have arranged the players of their group to play in mock matches until they have returned. And Takahiro was pitted against Hyotei's Wakato Hiyoshi.

The entire court was silent as everyone have stopped their playing by then as they stared with wide eyes at the shivering form of Hiyoshi who was crouched down on his hands and knees down on the courts, shaking.

Those in Rikkaidai as well as those who have seen Echizen Rika played during the finals of the Nationals last year knew what that was immediately, and they were all stunned that Takahiro can actually perform the same technique that the vice-captain of Rikkaidai Fuzoku was famous for.

"E-ESP tennis…" Hikaru muttered, his eyes wide with shock as he stared unblinkingly at Takahiro, shock written all over his face. "There's no way…"

Fear was written on Takahiro's face as he saw what Hiyoshi's reaction was, and he took one step backwards, his racquet slipping from his grasp and falling to the ground. "I-I'm sorry!" he stammered. "I-I didn't mean to! I-I'm sorry!"

"Oi, Takahiro!" Hikari shouted after Takahiro as the teen raced out of the courts, leaving the other players of the team to fuss over Hiyoshi. "Takahiro!"

**

* * *

**_Coaches' Meeting Room  
__Junior Senbatsu Camp_

"ESP tennis?" Shiki frowned as himself and Rika both sat in the meeting room for the coaches of the training room.

Takahiro had freaked out and ran off not even half-an-hour earlier, and Rika had sought out Kevin and had sent him after Takahiro. Usually, Rika would have sent Seika after Takahiro, but the girl is not present at the camp.

Rika nodded grimly, her fingers curled together. "I guess that you can call it a form of 'psychic tennis'," she said, turning towards him. "ESP stands for Extra Sensory Perception. Only those with unusually strong senses have that ability to incorporate ESP into their tennis. ESP players can take away a person's five senses or even force a person's worst fears to the surface…among many other abilities. The possibilities are endless." She sighed. "That's why ESP players are pretty rare. There is probably only one in a billion. And from what Ohtori-san had described, Takahiro's ability of ESP is pretty similar to mine."

"But why did he freak out like that?" asked Shiki with a frown. "Such an ability is pretty useful."

Rika shook her head. "You aren't an ESP user, thus, you wouldn't know," she said. "ESP isn't as useful as you think. There's a pretty large burden on the shoulders of the user. If we aren't careful when using ESP tennis, we might just cause our opponent to swear off tennis for eternity."

**

* * *

**Kevin sighed as he leaned against the trunk of the tree not too far away from the tennis courts that Takahiro is hiding behind, his knees drawn up to his chest, sitting at the foot on the other side of the tree that Kevin is leaning against.

"Takahiro, are you going to continue hiding like that?" asked Kevin, his head tilted back slightly to watch the clouds moving past. Such a pleasant day… "No one blames you. Wakato-san doesn't blame you. No one does."

Takahiro said nothing, and Kevin turned his head slightly only to see that Takahiro had wrapped his arms around his knees, and the only thing of his face that could be seen are his eyes. Kevin knew that as a gesture that Takahiro only does when he is feeling extremely upset or insecure.

Kevin sighed.

He remembered when Rika had first woken her ability to play ESP tennis. He remembered back then when nearly everyone was pretty freaked out because of her ability save for her own teammates and Riku and Sora. He also remembered when he had found Rika sitting on the roof of the school with a sad look on her face more than once, and when she had seen him, she had merely smiled weakly.

Kevin shook his head to rid himself of those thoughts, and tilted his head back slightly to look at the puffy white clouds floating past, placing his hands into his pockets.

He'll give Takahiro some time. He'll need it.

Rika was different from Takahiro in how she managed to accept her ESP tennis pretty easily because she was already prepared for the ability and the reactions by the people surrounding her when the time comes for it. But even if she was prepared for it, it still doesn't make things any easier.

Kevin shook his head slightly, trying to rid himself of the memories of Rika looking so sad and desolate when she had thought that no one was looking because of her ESP tennis. He didn't want anyone else to go through what Rika had to go through ever again.

* * *

_A/N: Hey, regarding one of my upcoming Prince of Tennis stories (Silence, the Loudest Sound), what pairings do you wish for that? I'll only start on that story once this story is completed. But I want some suggestions on pairings:_

_Shiraishi __Kuranosuke (Shitenhouji Chuu)_

_Fuji Yuuta_

_Yagyuu Hiroshi_

_Sanada Genichirou_

_Kirihara Akaya_

_Atobe Keigo_

_Oshitari Yuushi_

_Shishido Ryou_

_Ohtori Choutarou_

_Anyway, I hope that you like this chapter, and please read and review!_

_**Upcoming Stories:**_

_**Blue Moon (Prince of Tennis)**_

FemRyo. Echizen Rika and Yukimura Seiichi are the former leaders of squad Zero – the highest ranks that a shinigami could reach – who had deserted their home and had discarded their lives as shinigamis when everything that Soul Society and the King had done goes against what they had stood for. Now, nearly five hundred years later, the two were the leaders of the Vizards, and when Soul Society got wind of their existences, the two of them, along with the Vizards, have to take up arms once more to defend their homes as well as the friends that they've made in Phoenix Star Academy. Prince of Tennis/Bleach crossover

_**Silence, the Loudest Sound (Prince of Tennis)**_

All of Rikkaidai Fuzoku, the boys' tennis team especially were excited when they heard that the famous Princess of Tennis would be coming to their school and joining the boys' tennis team after having disappeared from the professional tennis scene for six months. But what Rikkaidai and everyone didn't know is that the Princess of Tennis can't speak. FemRyo.

_**The Final Hope (Naruto)**_

AU FemNaru modern fic. The country is currently at war, and Namikaze Shiki was currently one of the war doctors at the army camp with several of her friends from the same medic school that they've gone to. But a deadly virus had been going around, killing those infected within 36 hours, and Shiki had been asked to lead an investigation into this virus…

_**Legion of Darkness (Naruto)**_

AU FemNaru. The _Jinchuuriki _are spoken about only in legends. People with special abilities which sets them apart from others and which gives them the power to bend the universe itself. When demons started infesting the land and Uchiha Itachi, a mercenary for hire was told to meet up with his brother who was protecting a princess from one of the lands, a partner was sent to back him up, and said partner turned out to be one of the Jinchuuriki… Itachi/FemNaru

_**Soprano of the Ballad (Naruto)**_

AU FemNaru. Konoha Academy is the most prestigious school for music, literary and drama in Japan, and Namikaze Shiki and her friends were students there. In their world where ideals are renounced, Shiki preferred to believe that true love didn't exist at all. That is, until she met one Uchiha Itachi. Itachi/FemNaru

_**Spirit Hunter (Naruto)**_

Rewritten! After the ninja nations were destroyed, Kami decided to send Namikaze Hikari, Nara Shikamaru and Hyuuga Neji to a time in the future with a new mission in hand: prevent the Akatsuki's revival. But the three were now granted some new abilities: shaman abilities, and Hikari is now the cousin of one Asakura Yoh.

_**Of Magic and Spirits (Harry Potter)**_

AU FemHarry. Remus defied against Dumbledore's wishes by calling his old friend, Ryuuken Ishida, and asking him to take care of his best friend's daughter by raising one Hilda Potter as Uryuu Ishida's younger twin sister. Bleach/HP crossover


	52. Double Trouble

Hey, sorry for the late update! And rest assured, I will _not _abandon this story. I kind of like this story myself, and I know what it feels like to be reading a story and then not knowing the ending. It's kind of frustrating. Anyway, there is a time skip for this chapter as I'm _not _about to describe the entire Goodwill Games from beginning to the end _again, _and I already have enough OC characters in this story! It's a marvel that I'm even able to remember them all! This chapter will probably focus more on Kevin as I swear that the poor guy had been out of the loop for several chapters already, and he needs some love.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis and any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Fifty Two: Double Trouble**

_Rikkaidai Fuzoku  
__Kanagawa_

Echizen Rika sighed as she frowned whilst studying the list that she currently had in her hand which is a list of the tennis regulars in the tennis team of Rikkaidai Fuzoku.

It is currently lunch hour, and as usual, Rika could be found up on the rooftop with Riku and Sora – both who were talking about something that Rika isn't interested in. The Junior Senbatsu Games had ended about a week ago, with Japan being the victors, though Rika must admit that the team that America had sent in this year made quite a good showing, though the team last year is still better. Though Rika might just be saying that because the team that had came last year is _her _old team.

And right now, Rika is getting a migraine the size of Mount Fuji as she scanned the list in her hand for the umpteenth time.

The National Championship will be coming up in about a month's time, and Shuu had compiled a list of all the tennis regulars – their stats, abilities, tennis skills, moves, everything. Even the things that they must improve on.

But just how much can they improve with just one month?

True, Rika might be a good trainer and all, but she is only one person, and she most definitely can't spin miracles! She had played in the Nationals the previous year and knew how tough most of the teams are. Only the best of the best are good enough to participate in the Nationals.

Not that she think that her team might lose.

But still, Rika is not leaving it up to chance.

"Rika." Rika blinked as she realised that Riku is speaking to her, and she turned around at once only to see Riku's amused face. "The bell had just gone off."

**XXXXXX**

_Classroom 2-5  
__Rikkaidai Fuzoku_

The last bell that signalled the end of the day had just gone off several moments ago, and nearly half of the students were gone from the classroom even before one can say 'tennis'.

Rika shook her head as she packed her books into her bag and slung it across her chest. As she looked up, she raised an eyebrow as she spotted her classmate, Shungaki Miore (A/N: Read chapter 24 if you've forgotten who she is) packing her bag, ready to make a move as well.

Meanwhile with Shungaki Miore, she is having a particularly bad day.

She had woken up late that day and had missed the bus. She is also late for school, and had only arrived in the middle of the second lesson which is Geography. Because of her lateness, an order mark was marked against her that had put her in the black book of nearly her entire class who hadn't had a single order mark against them that year.

And some practical joker had apparently found it funny to switch her textbooks for some romance novels. And this means that she was getting called upon by nearly all her teachers that day, and the Student Council representative in her class who is responsible for her class affairs – Echizen Rika, had to file a report to the Student Council which earned her another black mark with her class.

Shungaki Miore scowled to herself as she tried to burn a hole through her books with sheer willpower alone. Some people just have all the luck, it seems like, she thought. She had such high hopes when she had first gotten into Rikkaidai Fuzoku last year.

She had aimed to be the most popular girl in the school, snag a good-looking boyfriend, have all the boys in the school be in love with her, and be the one that all the teachers love. But with the arrival of that Echizen girl, everything had turned topsy-turvy for her.

The moment that the Echizen girl became a regular in the boys' tennis team, she became extremely popular in the school. Not only because she is an extremely excellent tennis player with talent for the sport, but because she is also extremely good-looking. And her two best friends who always followed her like a duckling after its mother are on the top popularity list as well. Then when she had started dating the tennis team captain, she became even more popular.

Miore was jealous of Rika, and had wanted to hurt her. Thus, she is the one who had instigated all the bully pranks against Rika the previous year, but this soon came to a stop when the regulars of the tennis team took matters into their own hands and dealt out their own brand of punishment to all those involved. Within a week, all of Miore's 'comrades' have mysteriously lost her phone number and always seemed to have something to do whenever she approached them.

Miore already had a boyfriend by that time. A good-looking teen in her class by the name of Kuruchi Hisagi who is the lead pianist in the music club, and also one of the good friends of Satochi Riku and Echizen Rika. But in Miore's opinion, her boyfriend is a little _too close _with Rika. He was then so fed-up with Miore that he actually broke up with her near the end of the year, much to her outrage, and had started going out with Fuyama Miyako, a girl who is also one of the lead pianists in the music club who belongs to the class next door.

Miore is upset not because Hisagi had broken up with her, and then again, she had never liked him much anyway. No. She is upset because when she lost Hisagi, she is no longer the school belle.

And then sophomore year.

That Europe transferee, Tanaka Takahiro is good-looking enough for Miore's tastes, and not to mention that he is also a tennis regular and extremely intelligent – always tying with Echizen Rika for the top of the class.

But that guy always turned down her advancements and had actually told her to her face that he is not interested in her _that _way, and that he already had someone in mind. Miore could have suffered from a stroke then! How dare he? She is the most beautiful girl in the school! Who else could be more beautiful than her?

And then, after the Kantou Championship, she saw Tanaka Takahiro always with Rika, Riku and Sora who is sometimes joined with Kevin Smith and Yukimura Haruki – the latter two who are both from the class next door.

Haruki had never liked Miore, and in fact, downright detested her, and vice-versa.

And so, Miore switched her advances to Kevin. But somehow or other, that guy really seemed to have Lady Luck on his side as either Haruki, Takahiro, Riku, Sora or Rika were always with him. Even the two freshmen girls who often hung out with the regulars of the tennis club.

And if there is anyone whom Miore feared, it is Takahiro, Rika and Haruki. Those three could really choose some really biting and cutting remarks that hurt where it hits.

Miore nearly jumped out of her skin, so lost in her own thoughts, when a hand landed on her shoulder, and the whiteboard eraser was nearly shoved into her face.

A grim looking Echizen Rika was standing behind her, her right hand planted on her hip as her left hand was holding the whiteboard eraser nearly into Miore's face. As a Student Council member, Rika is also the one to draw up the chart for the cleaning duties for the class which every member of the class usually does without complaint.

If they wanted a clean and healthy environment to spend majority of their school hours in, then they damn well better do their part in keeping their classroom neat and tidy.

"And where do you think that you are going, Shungaki?" asked Rika in an icy voice, her right eye twitching slightly. She had never liked Shungaki in the first place, and never spoke to her if she could help it.

Miore raised an eyebrow. "Home," she said. "But before that, I have to see Misaki-sensei."

She prayed hard that Rika forgot that it's her turn to do cleaning duty that day. She had never liked cleaning duty, but Rika knew just who are the ones in the class to skip out on cleaning, and usually assigned someone who would be _sure _to do the cleaning as their partner for that day. But the girl doing the cleaning with her is absent that day, and thus, Miore had to do the cleaning all by herself.

Rika's eye twitched. "Can you read, Shungaki?" she asked politely but sarcastically, and when Miore gave no response, she pointed a finger with the hand holding the whiteboard eraser at the notice-board where all the notices of the class were pinned up, along with a schedule of the cleaning duties for each member of the class. "Your name is clearly on the schedule for cleaning today. 'Shungaki Miore | Asagi Miyu. Thursday.'" Rika fixed Miore with a glare before holding out the whiteboard eraser once more. "Kindly do your cleaning duties before you go."

"But Asagi isn't around today," protested Miore. "You can't expect me to clean the classroom all by myself! I've never even used a broom in my entire life! It'll spoil my nails! Besides, I have to see Misaki-sensei."

Rika's eye twitched dangerously. "You can and you will," she said firmly, and Miore nearly flinched back at this. She had always been a little afraid of the strong-minded girl, despite her dislike for her. "Asagi told me that she's always been the one stuck cleaning the classroom all by herself as what you've done can hardly be called cleaning! If she can do it all by herself, then you can! And do something practical for once in your life instead of always fussing over your nails, your hair and complexion!" Rika's eyes flashed. "As if anyone would notice if you've grown ten spots!"

Miore glared. "I have to see Misaki-sensei," she said, still trying to get out of her cleaning duties.

Rika glared back. "You will do your cleaning duties _right now," _she said firmly. "You will just do this. And you will just do that. And the duties that are supposed to be yours to perform will never get done! I know you, Shungaki. You can go and see Misaki-sensei later. And I'm warning you, the entire class is already upset enough with you because you've already gotten four order marks against us for this one day alone. If we've gotten another two order marks written up against us just because you're too damn lazy and much more concerned about your hair and looks to even do your cleaning properly, then you'll hear it from them." Rika glanced at her watch before turning back towards Miore. "I have to go and see the principal with Kirihara regarding the upcoming Nationals. I'll be back in about an hour. And I want to see the entire classroom spick and span with not a single desk or chair out of place when I get back!" She shoved the whiteboard eraser into Miore's face who took it sulkily. "And let me warn you: don't you dare try to slip away. I'll know where to find you, and I'll drag you back to school so that you'll do your cleaning duties. And if I'm not satisfied with the state of the classroom, you'll do it as many times as necessary until I'm satisfied!"

With that, Rika turned heel and left the classroom.

With a scowl, Miore dropped her school bag back onto her desk before trudging sulkily over to the whiteboard and starting to clean it rather half-heartedly. She knew that Rika will do what she had said. It'll be less humiliating for her if she just do the cleaning instead of having to had Rika drag her back to the school kicking and screaming.

**

* * *

**_Tennis Courts  
__Rikkaidai Fuzoku_

Kevin Smith frowned as he entered the tennis courts with his racquet tucked beneath one arm, not seeing Rika or Kirihara anywhere. He then approached Shuu who is currently overseeing the practice match between Hikari and Hikaru, noting down details in his ever trusty notebook.

"Shuu. Where are Rika and Kirihara?" he asked.

"Buchou is with the principal," said Shuu, not taking his eyes off the twins' match. "Something about the upcoming Nationals that needs to be discussed with the principal. As for the fukubuchou, I'm not sure. She's probably still in her classroom. Why don't you go and find her there?"

"I will," said Kevin with a nod. "Thanks."

**

* * *

**_Library  
__Rikkaidai Fuzoku_

Yukimura Seika sighed as she stared at her friend across her at the table that she is sitting at, almost being hidden by a mountain of books. The girls' tennis team had no training that day as the tennis team captain, Ishigawa Saya was called in by the principal to discuss the National Championship that the girls' tennis team will be participating in that year.

"Yuri-chan, aren't you going a little overboard?" Seika sighed as she eyed the mountain of tennis books that Yagyuu Yurika is reading. "I know that Ishigawa-buchou asked you to read up on the tennis rules and regulations – especially since she thinks that you might make a good tennis manager once the seniors graduate, but aren't you going a little too overboard?"

"But…" Yurika whined.

Seika sighed and stood up from the table, her eyes running over the mountain of books before picking out three books from the pile. "Let's check these out," she said. "And let's find Rika-sempai. She might probably be able to explain the tennis rules and regulations better than I could."

Yurika nodded dumbly as she followed her best friend to the check-out counter of the library, and it wasn't long before they were both out of the library.

"What class is Rika-sempai in again?" asked Yurika as they headed towards the sophomore classrooms.

"Class 2-5." Seika replied, looking at the signs above each classroom that they've passed by until she stopped by one. "Here it is." She slid opened the door. "Rika-sempai—" Her words got caught in her throat as she saw something which she would rather not see.

"What's wrong, Seika-chan?" asked Yurika as she peered over Seika's shoulder, and her eyes went wide with horror and shock at what she saw, and the books that she was holding clattered to the ground.

**XXXXXX**

"I thought that the principal will never let us go." Rika muttered, rubbing her temples as she walked along the classroom hallways of the school. "I know perfectly well what I have to do with the training of the tennis team! But must he take it to such an extreme level that he'll allow the regulars to miss the first period of our lessons each day if we must?"

Tanaka Takahiro who had also been in the meeting with the principal laughed. He had been called in because of his injury during the Kantou tournament, and the principal had enquired about it. Kirihara had parted ways with them earlier, saying something about his homeroom teacher summoning him.

Rika is fairly sure that it must be about his English test scores again. Kirihara had never been able to pass English once in his entire life, and this made Rika wonder how he even got in middle school in the first place, let alone Rikkaidai Fuzoku as the requirements to get into the school is pretty high. And this isn't a joking matter for Kirihara, seeing as how it is his graduating year that year.

"Do you mind coming with me to the classroom for a moment?" Rika asked, suddenly remembering that she had left Shungaki Miore alone in the classroom to perform her cleaning duties. And if she knows that girl, she'll probably have to make her do it two or three times before she is satisfied. "I've left Shungaki cleaning in the classroom alone today as Asagi is on medical leave."

Takahiro snorted. "Alone?" he said incredulously. "We might very well have to spend the entire day with her just to make sure that she did it right."

Rika sighed. "Yeah," she said. "I'm better off just doing it myself, though I'm not about to." She muttered something beneath her breath. "That girl has to learn that everyone has to perform their class duties. No wonder Asagi got so fed-up with her."

Takahiro laughed before turning around a corner that led to their classroom. "Who wouldn't?" he said. "The class isn't too happy with her as a whole today because of the number of order marks that she had gotten written up against us."

Takahiro nearly got the wind knocked out of him just then as a black, white and purple blur crashed into him before running away. Rika blinked as she caught hold of Takahiro's arm to prevent him from falling over, looking at the departing back of the blur that she could recognise was a student, probably a freshman.

"Was that…Yurika-chan?" Rika blinked.

"Yuri-chan!" Seika's voice sounded just then, and Rika turned only to see Seika standing outside the slightly ajar door of her classroom calling to Yurika before chasing after her. Or she would have been able to if Rika had not caught her arm.

"Seika! What is going on here?" Rika asked, complete and utter confusion on her face. This is _not _what she was expecting when she is returning to her classroom.

"Rika-sempai!" Seika stared. "Look, I'll explain later! I have to go and catch Yuri-chan! See you!" And she took off at speeds that could only be contributed by daily training.

"What in the world…?" Takahiro said slowly, staring at the departing backs of the two girls whom both soon disappeared from his line of sight.

Rika frowned before making her way over to the slightly ajar door of her classroom and sliding the door opened which opened with a slight crash. But the occupants in the classroom didn't seem to have noticed her arrival.

"I said, get the fuck off me, Shungaki!" Kevin roared angrily as he tried to push Shungaki Miore off him, the latter who is latching onto him, leaning close to him like she is trying to kiss him with a seductive look on her face.

The expression on Rika's face is one of anger just then. Everyone in their circle of friends – even the tennis regulars – knew of Miore's obsession with Kevin, though Rika doesn't actually think that she actually likes Kevin _that_ way.

The blonde is just a trophy to the girl to become popular in the school. It is the same way the previous year when she had 'hooked up' with Kuruchi Hisagi. And the boy had actually told Rika that the six months with Miore is one of the most miserable in his entire life, and the worst mistake that he had actually made. And until today, he wondered what had actually possessed him to go out with Shungaki Miore.

Takahiro was on Miore's target list as well, but the guy is so scathing and sharp with words that Miore wisely left him alone after that. And when Rika realised that the next target on Miore's list is Kevin, she had made sure that he is never alone. Kevin may not like the girl, but he is also too much of a gentleman to actually hurt a girl with words or actions.

Rika blinked as Takahiro stepped out from behind her, entering the classroom, a look of cold fury on his face with his hands balled into fists as he stepped up to Kevin and Miore before grabbing the girl by her hair and threw her away from Kevin.

That action alone sent Miore crashing into a few desks and falling to the ground.

Rika can only stare wide eyed at this. She knew that Takahiro had never liked Miore because of the girl's behaviour towards her and a number of the tennis regulars. And that dislike only grew after Miore tried to leech herself to Takahiro until he tore into her with his sharp tongue, and she soon left him alone after that. Unlike Kevin, Takahiro has no qualms about hitting girls if they deserved it, but still, this is actually the first time that Rika had seen him manhandling a girl.

"Takahiro?" Kevin blinked in surprise. "And Rika?"

"What is going on here?" Takahiro asked with cold fury, looking from one to the other. Miore was currently on the ground, looking at Takahiro with a slightly frightened look. And honestly, who could blame her? The look on Takahiro's face is one that is ready to kill.

"I don't know!" said Kevin hysterically, looking from Takahiro to Miore to Rika, and back again. "I was just looking for Rika! And when I walked in, that…that _whore _over there simply latched herself onto me and tried kissing me!"

Rika nearly groaned as she realised what Yurika must have seen. Everyone knew that Yurika liked Kevin. Everyone that is, save for the clueless blonde himself who had liked Yurika as well.

"Rika?" Rika turned around only to see the captain of the girls' tennis team standing at the doorway of the classroom, a frown on her face. "Is there something wrong? I've heard such strange noises coming from your classroom when I was passing by."

"Ishigawa-sempai," said Rika grimly as she grabbed Miore roughly by the arm and pulled her to her feet. "Do me a favour and please inform the president of the Student Council that we may very well have to hold a trial of sorts for this worthless excuse of a whore."

Rikkaidai Fuzoku had a student system in which if any student should be accused of a 'crime' of some sort, there will be a 'trial' held by the Student Council to judge the crime, and if the student in question is to be found guilty. The punishments are usually issued by the Student Council themselves as the teachers rarely interfere in students' affairs.

Ishigawa Saya blinked. She is the vice-president of the Student Council and is actually the one to pick Rika to fill in her post the next year when she graduates. The senior girl blinked as she stared at the dishevelled looking Miore, to the angry look on Takahiro's face, to the scornful look on Rika's face, and then to the disgusted expression on Kevin's face, and is smart enough to put two and two together immediately, especially with what she knew of Shungaki Miore.

"I'll bring her to the Student Council's office," said Saya, grabbing Miore by the arm before she could run away. "Make a trip there once you're done, will you, Rika?"

Rika nodded before Saya left the classroom whilst dragging Miore with her. The dark haired girl then turned and glared at Kevin who flinched visibly beneath Rika's venomous glare.

"I hope for your sake that you've got a _very good explanation _to Yurika about what she's just seen, or we might have a very angry Yagyuu-sempai coming down here and demanding to know just why his sister is so upset!" said Rika, glaring at Kevin.

"Yurika-chan?" Kevin blinked. "What has she got to be upset about?"

Takahiro nearly groaned, and Rika resisted the urge to throw Kevin through the window. "She _likes _you, you dumbass!" Rika nearly exploded, finally telling Kevin the truth that everyone has been hiding from him for the past year. "Only you are dumb enough to _not _see it when everyone in the school can see from a mile away that she has a crush on you!"

Kevin's world came crashing down on him as well when he heard that. All this time…and he has never known. If he had known, he would have told Yurika. If he had known…

Rika growled before turning towards Takahiro. "Takahiro, I know that it's not your turn for cleaning duty today, but would you mind doing it?" she asked, and Takahiro shook his head. "Thank you." She turned towards Kevin before shoving the blonde lightly towards Takahiro. "I'm going to find Yurika and Seika. And Takahiro." Rika glared at Kevin before turning back towards Takahiro, pointing one finger at a slightly afraid Kevin. "Don't let him out of your sight."

Takahiro gulped at the venomous look on Rika's face.

"Yes Ma'am."

* * *

_A/N: This chapter might not be up to my usual work standard, and I apologise for that. And to answer a few questions: no, I do not mind anyone using my story as a guide, though please do me a favour and __**do not **__have several scenes in your story almost identical to mine! I already had a PM sent to me by a friend of mine telling me about a Prince of Tennis story (I'm not mentioning any names here) which is almost identical to mine._

_Also, thank you for all your reviews! Your reviews keep me updating! And regarding Silence, A Loudest Sound, Atobe, Shiraishi and Yagyuu are currently tied in votes, so I'm going to have to ask you to vote for any of the three again._

_Anyway, I hope that you like this chapter, and please read and review!_

_**Upcoming Stories:**_

_**Ninja XIII (Naruto)**_

FemNaru. After the Kyuubi attack, Chrnos – the organisation which Uzumaki Kushina had worked for in the past received news of her child and a plea from Kushina to take Namikaze Shiki away from Konoha and the elemental nations. Now years later, Namikaze Shiki is an 'eraser', an assassin for Chrnos, the Zero Number…and she is out for some blood.

_**Spirit Hunter (Naruto)**_

Rewritten! After the ninja nations were destroyed, Kami decided to send Namikaze Hikari, Nara Shikamaru and Hyuuga Neji to a time in the future with a new mission in hand: prevent the Akatsuki's revival. But the three were now granted some new abilities: shaman abilities, and Hikari is now the cousin of one Asakura Yoh.

_**SIS: Special Intelligence Squad (Naruto)**_

AU FemNaru. The Fourth never died, and the Kyuubi never attacked. What would life be like for Namikaze Hikari in a reality where she is the daughter of the Fourth Hokage and a member of the SIS, the Special Intelligence Squad that investigate all ninja affairs? Hikari is three years older than the Rookie 9.

_**Switch (Naruto)**_

AU FemNaru. What if the original Team 7 are the Sannins, and the original Sannins are Team 7? In an alternate universe where the Fourth is alive, and Sasuke is the one who had betrayed Konoha, Sakura being the one to leave the village and Hikari being the last Sannin to serve Konoha faithfully, what would life be like for them?

_**A New Family, A New Life (Harry Potter)**_

AU FemHarry. What if Voldemort _did _die during the attack at Godric Hollow when Lily and James Potter killed him mere moments before breathing their last? Wizening up to Dumbledore's schemes, Hilda's grandfather, Lord Alexandra Potter put his foot down and stood up to Dumbledore. Charlie/FemHarry

_**Of Magic and Spirits (Harry Potter)**_

AU FemHarry. Remus defied against Dumbledore's wishes by calling his old friend, Ryuuken Ishida, and asking him to take care of his best friend's daughter by raising one Hilda Potter as Uryuu Ishida's younger twin sister. Bleach/HP crossover

_**Darkest Before the Dawn**_

FemHarry. After the war, Hilda Potter was betrayed by the very side that she was fighting for and was nearly killed by the people who was her once comrades. With help from Hermione and Ron, she fled to America along with Draco and Luna where they resided in the rainy town of Forks. Twilight/HP crossover


	53. Rain Comes Before the Shine

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis and any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Fifty Three: Rain Comes Before the Shine**

Takuga Shuu.

Rikkaidai Fuzoku's sophomore. Currently fourteen years old. Student in class 2-4 of Kanagawa's Rikkaidai Fuzoku. The best friend of the 'sleeping genius' Takeda Ryou. Tennis manager of the boys' tennis team of Rikkaidai Fuzoku.

_WAS CURRENTLY PISSED OFF._

The right eyelid of one Takuga Shuu can't stop twitching as he alternated between glancing at his watch, to his ever trusty notebook, and to the tennis practices of the tennis team. For some mysterious reason, half the regulars were suddenly missing at practice.

Okay, fine.

Maybe he can excuse their _GREAT _and _BELOVED _captain's absence. (Note the sarcasm here) Said captain is probably _still_ trying to explain matters to his homeroom teacher, as everyone knew that the third years were having a particularly rough time that year, especially with their high school entrance examinations looming in the distance, especially Kirihara who isn't too good at his studies as it is.

So maybe he can explain away Kirihara's absence…

_BUT WHERE THE HELL IS THE FUKUBUCHOU, TAKAHIRO AND KEVIN??!!_

"Argh! Damn it!" Shuu finally blew, smacking his precious notebook onto his head, causing everyone standing near him to scuttle away warily, with his best friend, Takeda Ryou looking at him warily, and for Haruki to stare at him like he is some freak show.

"What's wrong?" asked Ryou curiously, ignoring all the curious stares by their club members.

"Our captain, that's what's wrong! Our vice-captain, that's what's wrong! And Takahiro and Kevin, that's what wrong!"

"E-Eh?" Haruki blinked rapidly. "But buchou is currently with his homeroom teacher, and you know that. As for the fukubuchou, Takahiro and Kevin…well…" He trailed off uneasily. Where are those three anyway? Kevin is supposed to find Rika and Takahiro nearly two hours ago, and no one has seen hide nor hair of Kevin ever since.

"I _KNOW_ THAT!!!" Shuu snapped, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "I'm only the tennis manager! Why must I run the entire show by myself here?! And why are we missing nearly half of our regulars today??!!"

Haruki and Ryou sweat dropped.

_That's _what he's upset about?

**

* * *

**_At the Same Moment  
Kanagawa District_

"ACHOO!"

Yukimura Seika glanced at Rika as they ran down the streets of the Kanagawa district. "A cold?"

"I sure hope not." Rika muttered, rubbing at her nose. She then sighed as she stopped in her tracks before looking in several directions at once, and growled. "I swear, once we find Yurika, Kevin Smith is going to be a _very dead man."_

Seika giggled, but there is still quite a serious look on her face.

It didn't take Rika too long to find Seika in the streets of Kanagawa after the sophomore herself had rushed off in search of her two kouhais. It is a pretty strange reason, but Rika could always manage to find someone, no matter where they had gone. It had even made some of her regulars wonder at times if their beloved vice-captain is telepathic or something.

Rika finally sighed and turned towards Seika. "You're Yurika's best friend. Do you know where she might have gone?" she asked. "I don't fancy having to ring up Yagyuu-sempai and explain the reason why his sister had suddenly gone MIA (missing-in-action). I won't be surprised if we have to plan a funeral for Kevin tomorrow."

Seika sweat dropped. "…sempai. You're exaggerating." She then cleared her throat. "Well, I think I know where she might have gone."

**XXXXXX**

_Classroom 2-5  
Rikkaidai Fuzoku, Kanagawa District_

Takahiro was glaring, with both his hands planted onto his hips, as he glared at an extremely nervous looking Kevin who looked as if he wished that he was anywhere but with Takahiro right now.

As a rule, no one had ever seen Takahiro lose his cool before, especially since his nickname of 'Ice Prince' among the student population of Rikkaidai isn't just for show. But when he _does _lose it, it is a sight to see.

"…Takahiro?" Kevin uttered meekly, putting one shaking hand up slightly like he's in class, not moving a single inch from the chair where Takahiro had planted him in when Rika had rushed out of the classroom like a whirlwind after both Seika AND Yurika nearly two hours ago. "Can I go to the bathroom?"

Glare.

That was Takahiro's answer to that question.

And for some strange reason, Takahiro's eerie silence creep Kevin out more than if he actually _talks._

Kevin 'eeped'. "N-Never mind then," he muttered, squeezing his legs together in an effort to control his bladder. He then turned his eyes skywards and silently prayed. _'Rika! Please hurry up and get back here! Takahiro's Medusa glare is freaking me out!'_

**XXXXXX**

_Echizen Residence  
Kanagawa District_

Echizen Rinko was humming a low tune to herself as she stepped through the doors of the Echizen residence, removing her shoes, and placing her house keys onto the table set against the wall at the doorway.

"Anata, I'm home." Rinko called out as she entered the house.

She knew that her husband would definitely be home, and as both her children usually wouldn't be back until the sun had set, she had expected for the house to be quiet. And as for Nanako, that girl is sitting for her college end-of-year examinations soon, and had been quite tied up recently.

The first thing that Echizen Rinko saw when she stepped into the sitting room of the Echizen residence was that of her husband, one Echizen Nanjirou sitting on the couch, staring at a letter that is in front of him on the coffee table. And Karupin, her daughter's beloved Himalayan cat was mewing to itself, being curled up in a ball next to Nanjirou.

And that is a surprise in itself, especially since Karupin usually like teasing Nanjirou, causing the usually perverted man to chase the mischievous cat all over the house until Rika put a stop to it.

Rinko frowned. She most definitely wasn't expecting this when she returned home after having won a court fraud case for the Atobe Group – one of her biggest clients, and also the company of her brother-in-law.

Rinko sat down onto the couch next to Nanjirou who looked up with a start when he sensed his wife sitting down next to him. The twinkle in the normally perverted man's eyes was gone, and his eyes seemed almost dull.

It almost scared Rinko to see him like this.

As far as she recall, the only time when she had seen him like this is when Rika had that car accident just before the finals of the Kantou tournament several months ago. He was frightened almost out of his wits then, and was even babbling nonsense. It actually got so bad that Ryoga actually has to lock his father into the box-room until he could calm down. And his son didn't even allow Nanjirou to see his sister until the doctor had deemed her as out of danger.

"What's wrong?" asked Rinko, worried.

Nanjirou stared at Rinko for several moments without speaking before sighing, and picking up the letter on the table in front of him, and pushing it into Rinko's hands. "This came today," he said sombrely. "I'll assume that you know what it is about."

"This is…!" Rinko's eyes narrowed as she took in the symbol on the letterhead of the letter, and she scanned the contents of the letter before hissing rather like how Karupin always does whenever he was angry. She then turned back towards her husband. "Where are Ryoga and Rika now?"

Nanjirou sighed. "Ryoga is at school. He called earlier, and said that he wouldn't be back early. Something about a school project. As for Rika, she has tennis practice in school, and she wouldn't be back that soon."

Rinko sighed. "We're in some deep trouble, anata."

**XXXXXX**

_West District  
Kanagawa District_

Yagyuu Yurika doesn't even know where she is even going as she pushed her way through the crowd, tears almost clouding her vision.

Not one to usually cry, she is quite a sentimental girl which is only part of the reason why her elder brother is so protective over her, and had actually asked the current boys' tennis team's vice-captain to watch over her when she is attending Rikkaidai.

Without even bothering to look out for cars, she stepped out onto the road, and almost immediately, there was loud honking, and a few screams, before she felt someone yank her by her arm, and she fell backwards onto the pavement.

"Do you want to die?!" An angry voice rang in her ears, and Yurika blinked before turning her head, only to see her sempai, Echizen Rika.

Apparently, that girl had been the one to pull her back before she got herself ran over by some cars, and Seika was standing next to her, a worried look on her face.

"Yuri-chan!"

"S-Sempai? Seika?" Yuri uttered, before tears welled up in her eyes once more, and she lunged herself at Rika who is the one nearest to her, burying her face into her chest, and balling her eyes out. "Waaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!"

Rika sighed before patting her on the back, trying to calm down the hysterical girl, whilst Seika was glaring daggers and knives, and anything that is sharp and pointy at anyone who even dared to give them a second look.

**

* * *

**_Rikkaidai Fuzoku  
Kanagawa District_

"I don't want to."

"Come on! Don't be such a scaredy cat!"

"I still don't wanna!"

"Oh, for the love of everything that is good and holy…!" Rika nearly groaned as she turned back to look at a stubborn looking Yagyuu Yurika, not releasing her hold on the mentioned girl's left wrist. "Do you want to know the truth or not?! And besides…" Rika gestured towards the orange-red sky that could be seen through the windows on the classroom level of the sophomores. "Takahiro, Kevin and I have practically missed tennis practice for today, and you might as well make this worth it! I wouldn't be surprised if Kirihara gets mad at us for this! The Nationals is close enough as it is, and we've been training nearly every single bit of free time that we have! It isn't like you didn't know how much the Nationals mean to us! None of us can afford to even miss one day of practice!"

"But…!"

Seika sighed. "Come on, Yuri-chan," she said. "At least listen to what Kevin-sempai had to say. He isn't a bad guy. I'm sure that there must be a logical explanation for it. And if his answer isn't satisfactory…" Seika grinned as she cracked her knuckles. "I'll help Rika-sempai to throw him through the window."

Yurika sweat dropped. "O-Okay."

Rika sighed. "Come on," she said before she continued walking through the hallway before she stopped outside her classroom. "Takahiro. Kevin. I'm coming in."

She then slid opened the door, and all three girls sweat dropped at the sight that greeted them.

Kevin was fidgeting about in his seat, looking as if he wished he was anywhere but here, and Takahiro was sitting atop the desk facing Kevin, with his feet resting against the edge of the chair, his hands resting against the edge of the desk, and he was glaring the Glare of Doom at Kevin, a glare which is known to send many a person running.

Rika coughed loudly before both boys turned their attention towards her, and the relief in Kevin's face was there for everyone to see. "Takahiro, Kevin is off the 'radar' for now," she said, and Takahiro nodded, translating that as 'stop glaring at him and rendering him mute, as I need him alive'. "And Kevin?" Kevin cringed as Rika glared at him. Really. What is it with people and glares today? Did he unknowingly offend some deity that he wasn't aware of? _"Start talking. _I too want an explanation as to just _why _that whore is kissing you, or is it the other way around?"

"Rika. Language." Takahiro reprimanded, though his heart clearly wasn't in it, as there was a light smirk tugging at the ends of his lips. "There are children present."

Seika glared at him. Just _who _is he calling 'children' when he isn't that much older than them?

Kevin gulped before looking at the dangerous look on Rika and Takahiro's faces, then to the sheepish look on Seika's face when he mouthed 'please help me here', and then to the half-scared and half-sad look on Yurika's face which had the instant effect to make him feel like he is the world's lowest person, and is lower than the low.

Kevin took in a deep breath, deciding that it is better if he just come clean with everything. Yurika is another matter, but he knew that Rika wouldn't be pleased if he said anything apart from the entire truth, as she is pretty fond of those two girls, and not to mention that Takahiro usually makes it a point to interfere in anything relating to Seika and Yurika.

"I'm not lying here," he said, looking straight into Yurika's eyes as he spoke. "There honestly really isn't _anything _going on between me and that Shungaki girl. I was looking for Rika and Takahiro earlier, and Shuu directed me towards their classroom as they weren't at practice. I only found Shungaki in there."

"She's up for some cleaning duty today, _alone,_ as Asagi is on medical leave," said Rika, nodding, telling Yurika in indirect terms, that so far, Kevin's story has been adding up.

"Well, she somehow found a way to keep me talking when she told me that Rika and Takahiro were both at the principal's," said Kevin sheepishly, scratching his cheek idly with one finger.

Takahiro raised an incredulous brow. "And you didn't think to just leave?" he asked incredulously.

Rika sighed. "Don't bother, Takahiro," she said, exasperated. "You should know that Kevin is just too much of a gentleman to treat girls badly."

"Well, I don't think that I need to tell you what happened next, as you probably saw it," mumbled Kevin.

Silence fell between them for a long time as Rika exchanged looks with Takahiro. Seika looked at Yurika nervously, and Yurika and Kevin stared at each other without speaking for a long time.

That uneasy silence was broken by the sound of the classroom door sliding opened, and a particularly irritated looking Kirihara Akaya was standing there, and the blood drained from the faces of all three of the tennis regulars.

"Oh…crap…"

"B-Buchou…"

"Oh dear."

Kirihara's right eyelid twitched at impossible speeds as he looked from one face to the other. "Ah, how nice to see the three of you," he said in a suspiciously polite voice. "Mind explaining to me just _why_ the three of you have _missed practice for the entire day _WITHOUT a valid explanation?! Eh? Start talking."

Said three tennis regulars exchanged looks before Rika sighed and looked back towards Kirihara. "We are in trouble, aren't we?"

Kirihara's stern look answered that question.

**XXXXXX**

_Echizen Residence  
Kanagawa District_

"Thank kami." Kevin sighed as they walked in through the gates of the Echizen residence. "I thought that Kirihara will never let us go."

Rika snorted as she opened the front door with her house keys. "And whose fault do you think is that, Kevin?" she asked sarcastically as she removed her shoes before entering the house, and Kevin nearly spluttered. "Kaa-san, oyaji, we're home!"

Silence greeted her instead, and Kevin and Rika exchanged confused looks.

Even if Rinko isn't home, both knew for sure that Nanjirou would definitely be home. Shrugging, the two pre-teens headed towards the direction of the sitting room only to see both Echizen adults sitting on the couch, staring at a letter lying on the table in front of them, looking at it like it was about to explode.

"Kaa-san? Oyaji? What's wrong?" Rika asked carefully with a frown on her features.

Rinko looked up and smiled a small tentative smile at Rika. "Welcome back, Rika," she said, yet the tone of her voice betrayed her inner turmoil, and Rika frowned.

"Did something happen, kaa-san?" she asked.

Nanjirou coughed into his hand. "Something like that."

"Like?"

Rinko and Nanjirou exchanged looks before turning back towards their daughter. "Rika, take a seat. Kevin, you too. This is going to be a long story."

Both pre-teens nodded before sitting on the couch next to Rinko. The Echizen matriarch then glanced at Rika. "Rika. You _do _knew that Ryoga is your half-brother, don't you?" she asked carefully, and Rika nodded.

"Of course," she said, puzzled. "You told me that when I was old enough to understand. But it had never bothered me much, as he is still as much my brother like he was your son." She then frowned. "What's wrong?"

Rinko and Nanjirou exchanged looks between them before turning back towards Rika. "Rika, we've got a problem," said Rinko, pushing the letter in front of her over to Rika who took it with a frown. "This came today. Ryoga's…biological mother sent that." Rinko seemed to struggle to manage to get those words out. "And she wants us to pay her 500,000,000 yen as 'compensation' for Ryoga."

Rika scowled fiercely, and Kevin growled too.

That whore who had abandoned her brother when he wasn't more than a few days old? Ryoga had been lucky that Nanjirou had liked kids, and didn't abandon him, which is in the case of most cases like that. Echizen Nanjirou's morals might be a little…questionable, but he is a good father. Rika could admit that readily.

The Echizen family _is _well-off, especially since with Nanjirou's winnings during his time as a professional player, then Rinko's salary as a lawyer dealing with high profile court cases… They could easily afford luxuries that Keigo had, but as they preferred keeping a low profile, they never splurged on things like that.

"And if we refuse?" Rika questioned, and Nanjirou sighed, looking and sounding far older than he actually does.

"If we don't, she threatened to bring it to the media," said Nanjirou tiredly. "She threatened to let the whole world know that Ryoga is my illegitimate son. I wouldn't be bothered about that, but if it actually gets out, it would mean publicity that we wouldn't need. That _Ryoga _wouldn't need. And it would probably hurt his education and future career as well. I _am _pretty well-known in various circles, and you knew that."

Rika rubbed her temples, feeling a growing migraine, as Kevin was currently busy doing a very good imitation of a goldfish. She then summed the current situation up with two words.

"Oh…shit…"

* * *

_A/N: This chapter probably isn't quite up to my usual work standard, and I sincerely apologise for that! Anyway, more of Ryoga's past will probably come up next chapter, and I'll also __**deeply **__appreciate it if you can give me some suggestions for the plot of the next chapter, as I'm running clean out of ideas._

_Anyway, I hope that you like this chapter, and please read and review!_


	54. Trouble in Paradise

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Fifty Four: Trouble in Paradise**

_Unknown Area  
Tokyo, Japan_

In a rather luxurious room in a fairly well-known hotel in the Tokyo district of Japan, a woman was on the phone as she faced the window, being seated in an armchair, enjoying the night-view of the city of Tokyo, a glass of red wine in her left hand.

"Look, I'm telling you that you'll get your money soon enough! I just didn't have the cash on hand right now! Would I run away for peanuts like that?"

A grunt on the other end of the line answered that question. _"Only you'll know the answer to that question." _The voice grunted. _"I've done my job in regards to your request. And the moment that you found out where your target is, you immediately took off! And from what I've heard from my friends in the government, the American government had been after you for some time as well. Something about fraud and child benefit money?"_

You could almost _hear_ the smirk in his voice, and the woman grew nervous.

"What's this? Blackmailing now?"

"_No. I wouldn't do that." _The voice suddenly grew rather innocent. _"I just thought that I should give you an incentive as a reminder. I'll give you three weeks. Within three weeks, if I still do not see my money, be prepared to have the police on your doorstep!" Click._

The woman scowled at her cellphone like it was the poor phone that is responsible for the source of her anger before slamming it down onto the table, causing the entire table to tremble.

"Ridiculous!" The woman muttered. "Harassing me for such minor things like that. And besides, I would be one of the richest women in the world soon enough." She smirked a Cheshire-cat smirk before picking up a photo on the table which is that of a fairly handsome teenage boy and a girl several years younger than him who looked a lot like him. "You sure do know how to pick your family, especially being the son of a former whore. Isn't that right, _Ryoga?"_

**XXXXXX**

_10:00pm  
Echizen Residence_

The low whirr of a motorcycle's engine came to a stop outside the Echizen residence in the Kanagawa district of Japan which is pretty silent, especially at this hour of the night, and the motorcycle's pillion rider got off carefully, sliding the helmet off his head and handing it to the rider.

Echizen Ryoga grinned a cheerful grin at his best friend as he handed the motorcycle helmet back to Shinderui Shirai. "Thanks for the ride, Shirai," he said. He then sighed. "Thank kami that we've managed to finish that project that Hanami-hakase (professor) had assigned us as our end-of-year project."

"No problem." Shirai grinned at him. "At least we've managed to get the rest of the week off as we've finished our project early. Hanami-hakase is pretty pleased with our work as well. What do you say if we have a game of tennis tomorrow or sometime this week? It's been a while since I've last touched a racquet, and I'm itching for a game."

"Sure," said Ryoga immediately, nodding his head. He grinned. "Seigaku can do without me for about a week, as Ryuzaki-sensei had given me the rest of the week off to prepare for my end-of-year examinations. I'll meet you at the street tennis courts near the university?"

Shirai nodded. "It's too bad for my little brother, but looks like he'll have to deal with his team on his own for a week." He grinned. "I'll see you there tomorrow at…" He frowned as he pondered on the time. "…eleven in the morning?"

Ryoga nodded. "Sounds good," he said. "Get a good rest tonight. See you tomorrow."

Shirai nodded before setting his bike into gear and speeding off.

Ryoga then turned and walked towards his front door, unlocking it with his keys as he did so before pushing the door inwards. It was late, and he wasn't expecting anyone else to still be up, as it hadn't been the first time that he had been home late.

Therefore, he is quite surprised to see that the lights of the kitchen were still on, even though the rest of the house was quiet. He then entered the kitchen only to see his mother seated at the kitchen table, apparently going through some paperwork with a cup of coffee sitting on the table beside her.

"Kaa-san?" Ryoga uttered, raising an eyebrow as Rinko turned towards him with a surprised look on her face. "You're still up?"

"Yeah. I have some work to finish." Rinko smiled tentatively, gesturing towards the several papers on the table that she was currently going through. "You're sure late today. Busy at college?"

"Yeah," said Ryoga with a nod, brewing some tea for himself before settling down at the table as well, stirring his coffee with a metal spoon. "It's the year end examinations soon. The sophomores are saddled with endless projects and assignments, and whatnot." He sighed. "It's tiring, but fulfilling."

Rinko smiled. "Yeah, I guess so," she muttered. "Finish up your tea, and get to bed. It's late."

"Yeah, I know," said Ryoga, finishing the contents of his tea before dumping the cup into the sink, and proceeding to wash the cup and spoon before placing it on the rack to let it dry. "I'm going to bed then after a quick shower."

"Okay." Rinko nodded. Before Ryoga could even take a step out of the kitchen, Rinko called out to him. "Ryoga."

"Nani?" Ryoga turned towards his mother, his bag hanging from his shoulder by one strap, an eyebrow raised.

Rinko debated with herself for several moments, chewing onto her lower lip as she did so before turning away. "…nothing. Get a good rest. Goodnight."

Ryoga frowned at his mother's peculiar behaviour. "Yeah. Goodnight."

Ryoga then left, and Rinko heard the telltale creak of the floorboards of the second step as Ryoga walked up it, before silence reigned upon the house once again. Echizen Rinko then groaned and placed her face into her hands.

'_I can't do it! I can't tell him! I don't want to upset and trouble his life any further!'_

**XXXXXX**

_The Next Morning  
Echizen Residence_

"Morning." Ryoga yawned as he walked into the kitchen with sleep-mussed hair and sleepy eyes, having changed into a tennis outfit.

Rika and Nanako were the only ones in there as Rinko had headed out early that morning for some court case, and his father was apparently in the back of the house reading his version of literature. Rinko's peculiar behaviour last night still bothered Ryoga, but he soon shrugged it off, deciding that Rinko will tell him about it with time if she so wills it.

"Morning, nii-san." Rika muttered around her toast.

"Where is Kevin?" asked Ryoga as he settled down at the table, and Nanako placed a cup of coffee and a plate of toast in front of him. "Is he still sleeping?"

Rika gave a quick shake of her head. "He set off for school a little before you'd woken up," she explained. "I sent him to unlock the tennis courts, as the regulars have been putting in a little more time into training with the Nationals just around the corner."

"I see. That's good, I guess. Though Seigaku isn't lacking as well." Ryoga grinned. "It'll be interesting to see the Nationals this year."

Rika smiled a weak smile before finishing her toast and coffee, and standing up from her seat, slinging her bag over her chest, with her tennis bag slinging by one strap over her shoulder. "…nii-san…"

"Hmm?" Ryoga mumbled through a mouthful of toast, turning around to look at Rika.

The younger girl chewed on her bottom lip nervously before averting her eyes away from her brother's. "…it's…nothing," she mumbled. "See you."

Ryoga raised an incredulous eyebrow at that uncharacteristic behaviour from his little sister. First his mother, now his sister? Is there some weird disease going about that he wasn't aware of that is making people act weird?

What is going on here?

**XXXXXX**

_Tennis Courts  
Rikkaidai Fuzoku_

"Haruki! Your footwork is all messed up!"

"Hikari! Tired already? You won't last if I actually let you play in the Nationals!"

"You call that a smash? I've seen elementary school kids hit harder than you do!"

"I-Isn't the fukubuchou a little different from before?" Hikaru panted, collapsing on the bench as Shuu finally called for break, much to his relief. The remaining regulars then scampered gratefully to their bags where their water dispensers are.

"Tell me about it." His twin nearly groaned next to him. "What's wrong with her?"

No one answered as even they had no idea.

Kevin probably does, but the blonde just wasn't talking, no matter how much the other regulars have threatened him.

Rika had been incredibly short-tempered all day.

She practically glared at anything that moved, and even snarled at Haruki when he had merely asked her a simple question. By the time that morning practice had resumed for the Rikkaidai tennis regulars, everyone had thought that it is in their best self-interests to keep away from that irritable mood. Not even Kirihara is immune to that irritable mood.

The buchou of the tennis team had even wondered if Rika is on PMS or something. Unknown to him and the rest of the team save for Kevin however, it _is _part of the reason, but the most part of it is concerning a matter that is not known to anyone but Kevin.

Rika sighed as she leaned against the fence, rubbing her temples. _'Maybe I should call it a day,' _she thought gloomily. She didn't like snapping at her friends and teammates when they have done nothing wrong to her, and when they aren't even the source of her irritation and short temper that day. _'Maybe I should skip school for today.'_

Rika didn't fancy snapping at her teachers all day as well, and knew that she can afford to miss one day of lessons as she had been at the top of her class, or even her year level. She can just get Riku, Sora or Takahiro to take down some notes for her for the lessons covered that day.

**XXXXXX**

_Echizen Residence  
Kanagawa District_

"So we don't tell Ryoga?" Rinko asked seriously, having just come home from winning a court case, and discussing the current problem at hand with her unnaturally serious (for once) husband.

Echizen Nanjirou nodded curtly, running a hand through his unruly hair. "I don't want him to know about his biological mother, and what she really is like." He admitted. He then sighed. "I knew that this entire affair is going to bite me in the ass one day, I just never expected it this soon. And if I know anything about that woman…she is going to make her move soon enough. Her motive is money in the end."

Rinko frowned. "So just give it to her!" she said. At a look from her husband, she sighed. "Yes, anata, I know. 500,000,000 yen is a little out of our abilities to get. But money is her motive, isn't it? If we just give it to her, she'll stop bothering us."

Nanjirou sighed, and shook his head. "It isn't that simple, Rinko," he said. "If we give into her this once, then she'll come again with the same threat at hand. No. The only thing that we can do here to protect both our children is to nip the problem in the bud." He then sighed before turning towards the phone on the small side-table next to the couch that the couple were both sitting on, before lifting the receiver. "I'm calling Keisuke and Ryoko for help."

Rinko sighed. "I _really _don't want to bother my sister and her husband with this," she said. "This is _our_ problem."

Before Nanjirou can say anything to that however, Nanako's panicked voice sounded just then.

"Wait! You can't just go in there! Chotto! You!"

Nanjirou and Rinko both turned around as the clicking of high heels sounded in their sitting room just then. Rinko scowled at the sight of that beautiful woman with sleek black hair falling down to her lower back, being dressed in a red spaghetti strap dress with slits on either side of her legs, with a silver glittery scarf wound around her neck, the rest of it trailing down her side, a black designer handbag slung over one shoulder.

Nanjirou frowned as he accidentally pressed the 'speed dial' button on the telephone set, not realising that he didn't place the receiver back onto the telephone set properly. The former tennis professional then stood up, looking rather intimidating, despite the monk outfit that he had on. Rinko stood up next to him, looking the ever shrewd lawyer that she was famous for.

"Natsumo Kimiko." Nanjirou frowned, his eyes narrowing together dangerously. Next to him, Rinko clasped his right hand together with her left in order to calm him down. "What brings you here?"

Kimiko smirked a smirk like the cat that had caught the canary.

**

* * *

**_At the Same Moment  
Rikkaidai Fuzoku_

Rika was just closing up the tennis courts, and was taking a quick check of the tennis clubroom when the ringing tone of her cellphone echoed throughout the tennis clubroom.

The rest of the tennis club had left for their lessons several minutes prior, and Takahiro had promised her to help take down notes when he had heard that she does not wish to attend class that day, and he kind of understood why as well when he had bore the brunt of Rika's temper that day. The Chessmaster then understood just why no one in Rikkaidai and the tennis club wished to get Rika mad at them, or even to get on her bad side.

Rika sure is scary when she is mad.

Rika frowned when she saw the words 'Home' flashing on the LCD screen of her cellphone, with her Himalayan cat cellphone keychain giving out a slight tinkle every now and then with the bell hanging from it.

What on earth is her father calling her for?

She then answered the call, and pressed the phone to her ear.

"What is it, oyaji?" she asked, irritated, as she cleared up the mess that her club mates have made on the floor with a broom that she had. The boys don't seem to know the meaning of the 'No Littering' sign in the clubroom. Either that, or they can't read at all.

There was silence on the other end of the line, and Rika frowned.

"Oyaji?"

A voice rang out clear on the other end of the line just then, though the voice wasn't her father's.

"_Wait! You can't just go in there! Chotto! You!"_

Rika froze, the broomstick falling from her hand as she heard her cousin's panicked call.

Apparently, _someone_ – and she is placing five hundred yen on her father – had misplaced the phone when making a call, and she is now hearing everything that is currently going on at the Echizen residence.

"_Natsumo Kimiko." _Her father's voice sounded just then, and Rika could almost _hear _the frown in his tone. _"What brings you here?"_

Rika froze.

Natsumo Kimiko?

She had heard that name somewhere before…

That's right!

Her father had told her that name last night when he was telling her and Kevin all about the recent mess with Ryoga's biological mother. Natsumo Kimiko was the name of that woman.

_Ryoga's biological mother._

Rika then frowned.

What brings that woman to their place?

**

* * *

**_Echizen Residence  
Kanagawa District_

Not realising that their daughter could hear everything currently going on hundreds of meters away in Rikkaidai Fuzoku, Echizen Rinko took one step forward, not releasing her hold on her husband's hand. It helps to keep her husband's temper in control, as even though he doesn't show it much, Echizen Nanjirou had a wicked temper when set off. Well, at least she knew where her daughter and son's quick tempers came from.

"Ojii-san, obaa-san, this woman—" Nanako who is dressed like she is about to head out for school, started, glancing at Kimiko to Nanjirou and Rinko.

"I know," said Rinko with a sigh. "Nanako, you're headed for school, aren't you? Go on ahead. We'll be fine."

Nanako chewed on her bottom lip nervously as she glanced warily at Kimiko before turning to face her aunt and nodding. "Alright," she said. "Call me if there is anything wrong." She then bowed to Nanjirou and Rinko before turning and leaving the house.

A short while later, all three adults heard the front door closed, and then all was silent.

Nanjirou then frowned, turning towards Kimiko. "Now that the children aren't here, we can drop all pretences." He nearly hissed, causing Rinko to glance at him in slight surprise. He rarely shows this part of himself after all. "Natsumo Kimiko. What are you doing here?"

Kimiko smirked arrogantly, flipping a lock of hair over her shoulder, reminding Rinko of her nephew's habits when he was irritated. "What a cold greeting, _anata," _she drawled, and Rinko growled. "Since when have you been this cold to me?"

Nanjirou growled, resisting the urge to smack this woman. "Since the day when you'd left me, and dumped Ryoga on me, leaving me to bring him up single-handedly without a mother!" he growled like an angry lioness about to pounce on her prey. "I'll be frank with you, Kimiko. I knew that whatever we had during that period of time wasn't anything serious. But I was raised properly, and I was fully prepared to take full responsibility for whatever we both had done that night when celebrating my first victory at the US Open!"

Rinko stared at Nanjirou in shock. She had never knew that Nanjirou had known about Kimiko's pregnancy, and was even prepared to marry her even if he doesn't carry any romantic feelings for that woman. All just to take responsibility for her baby.

"Don't make me laugh." Kimiko hissed. "I was eighteen then. How could I take care of a burden that had came out from out of nowhere?!"

Rinko exploded.

That was the exact word to describe the flurry of words that came out of the usually sweet-tempered woman's mouth as her motherly instincts came out in full force.

"Burden? _Burden?! That's _what you thought of Ryoga, your _own son?!" _Rinko exploded. "Your own flesh and blood?! Ryoga and I might not be related by blood, but I had never thought of him as anything but my own _son! _And I do think that it is probably kami's mercy to Ryoga that Nanjirou had never married you, you _wretch!"_

Kimiko stared at Rinko in shock as if seeing her for the first time, before a look of pure fury appeared on her face, and she made a move towards Rinko, almost like she is about to attack her, but Nanjirou firmly placed himself in between Kimiko and Rinko.

"Enough!" he said firmly. "Kimiko, I've read the letter that you've sent last night. And I am afraid that I must respectfully decline your most _generous _offer." Nanjirou said with much sarcasm in his voice. The amused smirk tilting the sides of Rinko's lips, as well as the angry scowl on Kimiko's face made his day.

"Don't you even care what happens to that precious son of yours?" Kimiko hissed.

Nanjirou narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Don't push me too far, Kimiko," he hissed. "You hadn't seen what I am capable of yet. I will never raise a single finger against a woman, and I don't intend to start now. So if you know what is good for you, you'll stop right now."

Kimiko flipped a lock of hair behind her ear. "If you just give me what I wanted, then I'll leave, and you'll never see me again."

Nanjirou growled. "Do you think that I'm stupid? If I just give you what you wanted this time, then what is there to say that you won't come back a second time for the same thing?"

"Besides, you're asking for money for Ryoga, _your own son!" _Rinko hissed like an angry cat. "How shameless can you be? Is money more important to you than your own flesh and blood?!"

"I'd never wanted a child in the first place." Kimiko waved off Rinko's angry words. "Just give me an answer, Nanjirou. Will you or will you not give me what I wanted? Or I'll take it to the media."

"You can dream on." Nanjirou hissed. "I will _not_ sacrifice Ryoga's happiness and future for your sake, and I will _not _give into your unreasonable demands as well. If you still wish to pursue this any further, then we'll meet in court. And if I see even one single thing about Ryoga in any newspaper in the world, or even in the Internet, then I'll show you what happens to people who mess with my family!"

"And if you'd done some research on us, then you should know that I'm one of the world's top lawyers." Rinko hissed. "I had never lost a court case in my entire life, and I don't intend to start now. If we take this to court, you will end up losing more than you can afford to."

Kimiko growled.

She knew when she was beaten.

"Fine! I'll leave for now," she growled. "But don't think this is over yet, Nanjirou, Rinko! I'll get what I want in the end. I'll suggest that you comply with my demands if you don't want your precious son's future to be ruined! There are other ways for me to ruin him even without going to the media!"

With that said, she turned and left.

And a short while later, the Echizen couple heard the front door slam shut.

Nanjirou and Rinko looked at each other without speaking for a long time.

"What should we do, Nanjirou?" Rinko asked worriedly. "We wouldn't be able to keep this from Ryoga for long. And once he finds out…I wouldn't be surprised if he will do something stupid and drastic in order to resolve this entire problem."

Nanjirou sighed. This is just one of the times when he felt utterly useless.

"I have no idea."

**

* * *

**_Tennis Clubroom  
Rikkaidai Fuzoku_

Rika listened to the entire conversation from start to end on her cellphone, a blank expression on her face. And to anyone who knew her, a blank expression meant that she is utterly pissed off!

No one touches her family and gets away with it!

Ryoga is her brother! Her parents' _son! _It doesn't matter even if he is her older _ half-brother, _and her mother's _step-son! _He is still her beloved older brother, and her mother's son – one whom she had raised ever since he was a toddler even before both her parents had married.

She won't just sit by and watch her brother's life get ruined by that whore who calls herself Ryoga's biological mother!

Rika growled before she finished her cleaning and leaning the broomstick in a corner of the clubroom, and slinging her bag over her chest – having changed into her school uniform earlier. She _had _been planning to have a quick game of tennis by herself at the nearby street tennis courts to let out some steam, but it seems like there is going to be a change of plans.

The dark haired girl then locked the clubroom before heading out of the school and hailing for a taxi. She can't get Yukimura or Marui's help for this as this is a family affair. She can't drag them into her own problems. Kevin wouldn't be able to do much as well, and she definitely can't get Krauser's help for this.

If that is so, then there is only one person whom she can go to for help.

**XXXXXX**

_Hyotei High School  
Tokyo District_

"So tiring…" Mukahi Gakuto almost dragged himself towards the front gates of Hyotei High with the rest of his team, having just finished up a day of tough tennis training. "I just want to go home and sleep all day."

Shishido Ryou rolled his eyes with exasperation. "Are you turning into Jiroh now, Gakuto?" he asked sarcastically.

"_What did you say?!"_

Oshitari rolled his eyes before spotting a lone figure leaning against the wall outside their school. He recognised that particular individual immediately, and smiled before pushing his glasses up his nose. "Atobe, you have a visitor."

"Hmm?" Atobe turned towards Oshitari. "What do you mean?"

The rest of the regulars were looking at the blue haired teen as well, and Oshitari smirked before jerking his chin towards the direction of the school gates which everyone turned towards.

Atobe's eyes widened a slight fraction when he recognised his 'visitor' immediately, and Gakuto gaped. Jiroh who was fast asleep on Kabaji's shoulder as usual, woke up, and managed a sleepy grin at Atobe's 'visitor'.

"What are you doing here?" asked Atobe with concern as they approached the 'visitor'. "Don't you have school today?"

Echizen Rika didn't smile as she looked at her cousin. In fact, she looked almost like she is carrying the world's heaviest burden on her shoulders as she looked at Atobe. Rika finally sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"Kei, I need a word with you," she stated, and sighed. "I need your help."

* * *

_A/N: Sorry for leaving you at a cliff-hanger! This chapter is just an introduction into Ryoga's biological mother, Natsumo Kimiko. And before someone screams at me that her reason for abandoning Ryoga is stupid, please put yourself into her shoes. She is eighteen then, and one of those 'party-goers' people. Having a child all of a sudden isn't something that she will want. And thus, she went with the next best thing: abandon the child and return to her old life._

_And yes, I know that I've been leaving Yukimura out of the loop of late. I'm very sorry for that, but he isn't really necessary for the last few chapters. He will be making an appearance for the next chapter, along with some of the old Rikkaidai regulars…I hope._

_And to readers of my story Blood Red Moon, I will be making a trailer clip on it sometime soon. Please tell me your comments regarding that idea. I will also finish this story first before starting on Silence, A Loudest Sound._

_I hope that you like this chapter, and please read and review!_


	55. Trouble in Paradise Part II

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Fifty Five: Trouble in Paradise Part II**

_Hyotei High School  
Tokyo District_

"Nani? Your parents were getting threatened?" Atobe Keigo asked, no, more like demanded, a growl in his voice.

Rika nodded silently. "We've been fretting over this for days. And before you ask, no, nii-san doesn't know about it. If he knew that his biological mother had been after our family for money, holding him as a hostage over our heads, who knows what will happen?"

Atobe sighed. "I guess I can see why you've came to me," he muttered. "The only way for her to leave you guys alone is to dig up some dirt on her and hold it over her head. Fight fire with fire, like we always say."

Rika sighed. "Usually, I would condemn such a thing, but I guess we don't have much of a choice now," she muttered.

"I'll try to dig up something about that woman. I'll get Oshitari to help. You can trust him," said Atobe, and Rika nodded slowly. "And…what is that woman's name?"

"Natsumo Kimiko."

**XXXXXX**

_The Next Day  
Kanagawa District_

The freshmen regulars of the tennis team of Rikkai High School were enjoying the day out as lessons for the freshmen year that day had ended early, and every single one of them were planning to get in some extra practice at the street tennis courts in the Kanagawa district when they spotted a rather familiar figure in the distance, walking towards their initial direction.

"Eh? Rika?" Marui Bunta blinked as the dark haired girl looked up, startled at seeing the high schoolers. "Shouldn't you be in school today?"

"I…took the day off today," said Rika with a weak smile.

Yukimura frowned. "Any particular reason for doing that?" he asked. "You aren't one to skip school unnecessarily."

"No reason. I just felt like it. I had a lot on my mind lately."

"Rika, what really is the problem here?" asked Yukimura bluntly, and the rest of the Rikkai High team mysteriously vanished, leaving the two alone to talk. "You've been acting out of sorts for awhile now."

"It isn't something that you should concern yourself with, Seiichi," said Rika bluntly. She then sighed. "Look, I'm sorry, but I really have to go. See you."

"Oi, Rika—"

But the dark haired girl had walked off, quickly disappearing from sight. Yukimura frowned as he looked at her departing back. He knew his girlfriend well, and knew that behaviour like that is rather uncharacteristic for her. The dark haired girl almost never skips school or even misses a day of tennis practice if she could help it.

"'Mura?" Yukimura turned only to see the rest of his friends approaching him, and with that frown visible on each one of their faces, he knew that they've heard everything. Marui frowned slightly. "What is up with that back then?"

Yukimura sighed and shrugged. "I have no idea," he admitted. "She had never been so standoffish with me before, save for that time with that Tanaka kid."

"I've been hearing things that Rika had missed school and tennis practice for about two days now," said Yagyuu slowly. "Kirihara-buchou had mentioned briefly to me about something that Akaya had mentioned to him."

Sanada blinked. "Akaya did?"

Yagyuu nodded. "Yeah, apparently, Rika had taken a 'leave of absence' for some time from tennis practice for 'personal reasons'. Akaya couldn't say no either, since even he could see that Rika seemed to be quite stressed out and worried about something."

Niou frowned and turned towards Marui. "Marui, did Rika say anything to you?"

Marui was bewildered as he answered. "No. She didn't say anything about this. And then again, the girl had never been very open with her problems, and she preferred solving her own problems by herself."

Yukimura frowned. "I'm worried," he stated. "I got a bad feeling about this…"

**XXXXXX**

_Seishun Gakuen  
Tokyo District_

Several Seigaku students looked on with curiosity as some strange dark haired girl wearing street clothing stepped through the gates of their school before making a beeline straight for the school building.

A few Seigaku students were stopped by the girl to ask for the directions to the staffroom which was given, and within a matter of moments, the girl was soon standing outside the staffroom of Seishun Gakuen, before knocking on the door.

The door of the staffroom slid opened a few moments later, revealing a brunette woman wearing a pink tracksuit, looking at the visitor with bewilderment written all over her face.

"Rika? What are you doing here?" Ryuuzaki Sumire asked with surprise. "If you're looking for Ryoga, he isn't here today. He doesn't work on Thursdays."

"I'm not here to see nii-san," said Rika with a shake of her head. "I'm here to see you. Do you know of my father's life over in America?"

Sumire frowned. "Well, not a lot, I'm afraid," she admitted. "Nanjirou had never been very open with his life. Though knowing that brat, I won't be surprised if he had at least a dozen or so girlfriends before settling down to married life with your mother. Why?"

Rika ignored that last question. "Don't mention anything about my visit here to my brother, please," she said seriously, and Sumire frowned but nodded. "When my father was in America competing in the US Open, did he contact you regularly?"

Sumire nodded. "Yes, he did," she said. "That was the first Grand Slam tournament that Nanjirou had competed in, and he rang me up every few days to give me status reports, and he always sounded so excited about it. He even told me stuff like which girl he had met, and what he had done." There was a fond look on Sumire's face as she said that.

A glint appeared in Rika's eyes which went unnoticed by Sumire. "And did he mention anything about a woman by the name of Natsumo Kimiko then?" she asked slowly.

Sumire frowned slightly before she nodded. "Yes, that name rings quite a bell," she said. "Nanjirou was quite bothered and upset over this girl at one time, and I was worried that it might affect his performance in the US Open."

Rika's eyes glinted.

Bingo.

**XXXXXX**

_Rental Apartments  
Kanagawa District_

_Ding Dong!_

Liliaden Krauser cursed to himself as he got up from his bed where he had been lying on his stomach whilst reading a magazine of some sort. He then opened his door only to have his eyebrows almost disappearing into his hairline when he saw just who his visitor was.

"Rika? What is it?"

Krauser immediately decided that he didn't like that look in Rika's eye. "I've got a question for you, Krauser," said Rika politely. "Are you still as good with computers like you are before?" Krauser nodded slowly, apprehension slowly setting in. "Then I've got a proposal for you. Would you care to listen?"

**

* * *

**"Whoever this woman is to you, I pity her for having made her way into your bad books." Krauser was muttering two whole hours later as he worked furiously on his laptop, with Rika watching over his shoulder, as the blonde pulled up all sorts of data from the database that he had called up. "Kimiko Natsumo, a part Japanese and part American citizen. And she's…er…well…a 'rent girl', I guess you can call it, nearly two decades ago in America." Krauser muttered, a light blush visible on his cheeks.

Rika translated that as 'she's a whore' in Krauser's words. That guy can't even mention the word 'prostitute' without blushing. It even made her wonder if Krauser is ever going to get a girlfriend, and if he did, if they can even make it past the stage of kissing.

"And according to the government files that I've pulled up here, she had filed for some child benefit money from the American government, using the birth certificate of her son whose identity isn't known here, to claim that child benefit money. But when a social worker was sent to check up on that unknown son's current status since he had just reached eighteen nearly a year or two ago, the government found out that she had been deceiving them all along, and the government had been after her since then for fraud which is a pretty serious crime in America, especially when it comes to child benefit money. That's all that I can find out, as this woman doesn't seem to be in America any longer."

Rika sighed, one part of the mystery surrounding Natsumo Kimiko solving itself. So _that's _why that woman is so desperate for money at this point in time that she would even try to blackmail her parents by using her brother as a hostage.

According to the law of America, if fraud is involved, the involved party will have to repay the money to the government in full. And if they can't pay the sum involved, they would have to either declare themselves bankrupt or serve a jail sentence.

"Thanks Krauser," said Rika with a nod. "I owe you one. Do me a favour and don't let anyone know about this, okay? I'll explain everything to you later on."

Krauser nodded slowly. "Okay?"

Rika's cellphone rang just then, and she picked up her phone. "Moshi moshi?"

Her cousin's voice blared through on the other end of the line. _"Rika, Oshitari had turned up some evidence about that woman that you've asked me about. Apparently, she had done some asking around ever since that press conference held in America nearly two years ago when you've withdrawn from St. Andrews after that accident. You do remember that Ryoga-san had been present at that press conference then? Several of the reporters present at that press conference have been approached by that woman. And according to some sources, a rather famous and well-known private investigator had been hired by that woman to trace your brother and family down. Oshitari had managed to get the address of the place where she is staying in right now. I'll send the address over to your phone." Click._

Rika frowned before there was a light message tone from her phone, and she opened the message only to see the address of a rather famous hotel in the Tokyo district of Japan, complete with a hotel room number appearing on her phone.

"Thanks for the help, Krauser," said Rika, turning towards a rather curious Krauser who had been watching with curiosity. "I owe you one."

She then turned and left.

Krauser frowned. He may not know Rika well like how Kevin did, but even he is smart enough to know that her behaviour isn't normal for her. And he doesn't know why, but it concerns him. Picking up his phone, he then dialled a number. Three rings later, the call was picked up.

"Yukimura? It's me. I've received a rather surprising visitor today…"

**XXXXXX**

_Hotel Fern  
Tokyo, Japan_

Rika looked at the plaque of the hotel room in front of her before turning towards the message currently being displayed on the LCD screen of her cellphone which had the current address of the woman that is the bane of the existence of the entire Echizen family – Natsumo Kimiko.

"This should be it…" Rika muttered to herself, eyeing the numbers '608' written in gold on the plaque currently hanging on the hotel room door.

She then raised a fist and knocked twice on the door. There was a long pause before the door swung opened, and Natsumo Kimiko stood there at the doorway, dressed in an off-shoulder satin red silk shirt with designer jeans and three inch black heels. The woman's eyes widened a slight fraction when she saw Rika, and the dark haired girl immediately guessed that this woman must know who she is.

"Natsumo Kimiko, I presume?" Rika stated more than asked.

Kimiko nodded surly. "How did you find me, Echizen Rika?" she asked with a sneer in her voice. "And what are you doing here?"

Rika said nothing, but merely stared unblinkingly at Kimiko for several moments, unnerving the woman with her cold gaze before the dark haired girl spoke. "I'll make this short. I want you to leave my brother and my family alone."

Kimiko smirked, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned against the doorway of her hotel room. "And why should I listen to you?" she sneered. "That child is my son. We are related by blood. Why shouldn't I ask for money if your father wants to keep his precious son safe?"

_That _brought Rika's famous temper to the surface just then.

Her temper had already been stretched to breaking limits ever since her parents had told her all about the situation with her brother and his biological mother, and her stress level had already been on an all time high ever since then. That is only part of the reason why Kirihara hadn't said anything when Rika had told him that she would be skipping off on training for a few days, as anyone with eyes can tell that Rika is already stressed out enough as it is, and that is only part of the reason why her entire tennis team have been treading on eggshells around her for three days.

"You had the cheek to call nii-san your _son _when you do not even have a part to play in bringing him up?" Rika snarled, and the smirk on Kimiko's face slid off immediately, being replaced by a fierce scowl. "Blood relations don't always make someone family! I see nii-san as my brother despite us both only being related through our father because he _is _a brother to me! He teases me, protects me from bullies when I was little, comfort me when I have nightmares at night, and even taught me tennis, even training with me whenever I've asked him to! He is everything that I wanted a brother to be, and I will not let you ruin his life and future! Not if I have anything to say about it! You have no right to call yourself a mother when the only thing that you've done is just giving birth to nii-san! It is women like you that are the bane of all women everywhere, and you should not even be given the right to be a mother!"

That caused Kimiko to snap immediately, and she immediately pushed Rika backwards with all her strength. The petite girl, being taken back by surprise with this sudden movement, and not to mention that the older woman is a whole lot stronger and older than her, was suddenly shoved backwards into the wall behind her, striking the back of her head hard on the wall, effectively knocking her out.

Something cold sunk itself into Kimiko's stomach immediately when she looked at the unconscious crumpled form of the Echizen girl on the ground of the hotel, and immediately looked left and right to ensure that there isn't anyone around before dragging the girl into her hotel room, and closed the door behind her.

Kimiko leaned against the door, keeping it closed shut with her weight, eyeing the limp form of the nearly fourteen-year-old girl in front of her with panic in her eyes. And once the panic had faded away, a cold smirk soon appeared on her face. Her former lover and his current wife might not be willing to pay her to keep her mouth shut and hands off her son, but she is sure that they wouldn't say no to pay her just to get their precious daughter back.

Kimiko quickly strode over to a corner of the hotel room before bringing out a semi-large black luggage trolley bag before unzipping it opened, and placing the unconscious girl into the bag, mentally thanking the stars that the girl is rather petite, and could fit into the luggage bag easily, leaving out some space for the girl to breathe.

Kimiko then threw the door of her hotel room opened, and looked left and right before walking out of her room, dragging the luggage bag behind her. Though if she had been looking closely at the interior of her hotel room, she would have noticed that the silver bracelet that the Echizen girl had been wearing had slipped from her wrist, and had fallen lightly onto the carpeted floor.

**XXXXXX**

_Elsewhere  
Kanagawa District_

"_The recipient whom you are trying to reach is currently unavailable. Please try again—" Click._

Yukimura frowned before he turned towards his friends – all who were currently gathered at some coffeehouse which they always frequented after their training sessions. "It's no good," he reported, returning to their table. "I can't reach Rika. Her cellphone is turned off."

Marui paused in the stirring of his coffee before turning to look at Yukimura with startled eyes. "Her cell is turned off?" he echoed. "Are you sure?" Yukimura nodded, and Marui frowned. "That's weird."

"What is?" asked Jackal with concern.

Marui looked at his doubles partner before answering slowly, his expression serious and worried. "Rika _never _turns off her cellphone, even if she is in school," he answered. "Her father is a tad bit overprotective of her, and she always made sure that she can be reached on her cell to prevent her father from overreacting. We all knew that."

There were grim smiles from all around, as every single one of them had firsthand experience of Echizen Nanjirou's over-protectiveness of his only daughter, especially since each of them had gone temporarily deaf in their right ears when they each had the individual experience of having the ex-pro tennis player yell down the phone at them whenever they've telephoned their female teammate at her house the previous year before Rika had given them her cellphone number.

Marui then frowned. "I got a bad feeling about this. She had skipped school for two days, even missing tennis training altogether which she would usually _never _do, and now this? And 'Mura, you told me that Krauser had just informed you that Rika had just been to him, asking him to check up on some woman. I'm worried."

Yukimura chewed on his bottom lip nervously. Marui's words are making him worried as well. "I'm going to her house," he stated, getting up from his seat. "I'm getting worried. I can't sit here and wonder any longer."

"I'll come with you," said Marui, getting up as well, and so did the other regulars. The redhead sighed. "I hope that it's nothing much, but…"

Yukimura nodded nervously. "I got a bad feeling about this…"

**

* * *

**_Echizen Residence  
Kanagawa District_

The tennis regulars from Rikkai High have just stepped through the front gates of the Echizen residence when they heard a loud voice screaming "KIMIKO!" in rage, and Yukimura instantly recognised it as Echizen Nanjirou's voice.

"Isn't that…Nanjirou-san's voice?" Marui muttered to himself. "What has gotten him in such a frenzy?"

The front door of the residence swung opened just then, and Kevin slipped out of the door, wearing an uncharacteristically serious expression on his face, dressed in street clothing. "Oh, it's you guys," muttered the blonde. "I was hoping that it is Atobe-san."

"What had happened, Kevin?" asked Marui seriously. "Something had happened, didn't it?"

Kevin sighed. "Come in. It's a long story, and not something that I'm repeating twice." He then muttered something beneath his breath. "It's not like I think that we'll be able to keep it from Ryoga-san for long anyway…"

The older teens exchanged confused looks with each other before shrugging and entering the house, but not before removing their shoes.

Echizen Nanjirou was walking to and fro in the sitting room of the Echizen residence, a look of pure fury and rage on his face – something that no one had ever seen on the usually happy-go-lucky man's face. Echizen Rinko was sobbing silently to herself on the couch, with Rika's cousin, Nanako, trying to comfort the older woman. Ryoga was sitting next to his mother reading a letter in his hands, his expression murderous, with a twitch slowly developing in his left eye.

"What has happened, Kevin?" asked Marui again the moment that all of them were inside the Echizen residence. "And where's Rika?"

"Yeah, Kevin. I would like to know too," said Ryoga dangerously, turning towards the blonde, almost gripping the letter in his hand. "Who is this 'Natsumo Kimiko' woman, and why the _hell_ has she _abducted_ my sister, and is asking for a 500,000,000 yen _ransom_ for her return?"

All the teens present blanched, and Yukimura turned pale.

_Kidnap?_

Kevin sighed. "I knew that we wouldn't be able to keep it from you for long, but Nanjirou-jii-san and Rinko-baa-san was fairly adamant that we do not let you know about this." He explained, turning towards Ryoga. "A letter came for them both about two to three days ago. This 'Natsumo Kimiko' woman…" He gulped nervously. "She's your biological mother, Ryoga-san."

Ryoga's eyes widened, along with every Rikkaidai member present, and the letter that the teen had been clutching in his hand slipped out of his grasp, unnoticed, fluttering it to the ground. "…what?"

Kevin sighed. "She tried to blackmail us by demanding 500,000,000 yen in return for her silence about your background and parentage, or she'll take the information straight to the media—"

Yagyuu interrupted just then, his expression unusually serious, now seeing just why Rika had been in such a bad mood for the past three days, as his younger sister had told him that the regulars of the boys' tennis team of Rikkaidai Fuzoku were all trying hard not to get on her bad side, yet still ended up getting themselves kicked by the recently short-tempered girl. Even Kirihara was wary of that irritable mood.

"And with how well-known and influential that the Echizen family is, it would mean media attention that your family wouldn't need. That _you _wouldn't need," said Yagyuu, looking at Ryoga as he said that.

Kevin sighed and nodded, looking at the shell-shocked Ryoga. "Nanjirou-jii-san and Rinko-baa-san have no intention to give into the woman's demands, but at the same time, they didn't want you to know as well, as they didn't want to disrupt your peaceful life. They forbid me and Rika from telling you anything, not that either one of us would."

"So _that's _why all of you have been acting so weirdly lately, and treading on eggshells around me of late!" Ryoga almost exploded. "I thought that it's strange! Why didn't you tell me? If you would have told me—"

"Then what would you have done, Ryoga?" Echizen Nanjirou interrupted, turning around to face his son, a serious look on his face. "You could have done _nothing. _Besides, this is something that we adults have to handle. The children shouldn't have to worry themselves over this."

"You told Rika and Kevin, didn't you?" Ryoga argued. "Besides, I'm no longer a kid, oyaji! I'm nineteen, soon to be twenty! And I'm—"

"Still considered a minor by Japan law." Nanjirou interrupted. "And I do not care if you're nineteen or ninety. You're still my child. My _son._ I will not allow some woman from my past to wreck my family, and to ruin the lives of my children!"

"But Rika is in her hands!" Ryoga cried out, desperate and almost driven to insanity with worry for his little sister. "We don't even know where she is, and—"

"You don't, but I do," said a voice, and everyone turned towards the doorway only to see a serious looking Atobe Keigo wearing street clothes walking into the Echizen residence. He nodded politely to the members of the Echizen family. "Nanjirou-jii-san. Rinko-baa-san. Nanako-san. Kevin. Ryoga-san."

"Kei, what are you doing here?" asked Ryoga, dropping down onto the couch.

Keigo sighed. "I've heard everything from the doorway. I got worried as Rika isn't answering her phone, and I decided to come over myself to make sure that she's alright." Every single person turned towards him just then. "She came to me a few days ago to have me dig up some dirt on this 'Natsumo Kimiko' person, and I've agreed to help."

"Krauser telephoned me a few hours ago, informing me that Rika had asked him of the same thing." Yukimura almost whispered, his face pale.

Keigo shot Yukimura a strange look. "She did?"

"Well, I guess that explains why she had skipped school and training for the past few days then, and why everyone had been on the receiving end of her temper lately." Jackal muttered.

"I've enlisted Oshitari's help for this, and he managed to get the current address of the residence of where this woman had been staying in," said Keigo, and everyone turned towards him. "She is currently staying at the Hotel Fern, in the Tokyo district. Though I'm pretty sure that she probably wouldn't be there any longer if she _did _indeed abduct Rika-chan."

"Let's just go and check the place out," said Yukimura in panic.

Keigo shook his head. "We have to deal with this calmly. Some of you will need to go around to some of Rika's friends to see if any of them knew anything about this—"

"I'll go with Yagyuu and Niou," said Marui, and the two teens in mention nodded seriously. "We know who they are."

"Rinko-baa-san, you stay here with Nanako-san just in case we have any other information."

Nanako nodded in response to Keigo's suggestion.

"The rest of us would head over to the hotel—"

"Actually, would the rest of you head over to the hotel first? I have a few calls that I need to make." Ryoga interrupted.

Keigo gave him a weird look but nodded. "Alright. We'll see you there." Ryoga nodded. "Come on!"

The sitting room was nearly empty within a few moments, and Ryoga immediately rushed over to the kitchen before picking up the receiver of the phone and dialling a number. Three rings later, the call was picked up, and a voice spoke on the other end of the line.

"_Tanaka Residence."_

Ryoga sighed a sigh of relief. "Takashi? It's me."

The voice on the other end of the line sounded bewildered. _"Ryoga? What is it?"_

"Listen, I need your help," said Ryoga quickly. "Can you get into contact with your old informants and agents, and tell them to be on the lookout for information for the current whereabouts of a woman by the name of Natsumo Kimiko…?"

**XXXXXX**

_Room 608  
Hotel Fern, Tokyo District_

"Room 608…" Nanjirou muttered, looking at the room door. "This is it."

Atobe nodded before turning towards the nervous and grim-looking hotel manager standing next to them. By a stroke of luck, it turns out that the Atobe family had been a major business partner of the hotel, and had hosted several parties and balls in this hotel, and the Atobe name carries great weight among the hotel staff. Thus, they didn't have too many problems in asking for the hotel manager to open the room door of Natsumo Kimiko.

"Open the door, please," said Atobe politely, before the hotel manager nodded, and he took out a card key from his pocket and slid it into the card reader on the doorknob. There was a light beep before a green light appeared on the door panel, and the door swung opened slightly. "It's opened."

"I'm going in," said Yukimura with a low growl, and before anyone could stop him, he had already entered the room, and immediately snapped on the lights, only to find an empty room. "No one's here."

"Damn!" Nanjirou cursed beneath his breath, and everyone turned towards him with surprise as this is the first time that they've ever heard the man spoke a swear word. "We're too late! Just…just return my daughter to me! I'll give you anything that you want, Kimiko!"

Atobe's eyes softened when he looked at the obviously upset and distraught Echizen Nanjirou. The man had been putting up quite a strong front ever since Natsumo Kimiko had made her appearance, though Atobe knew better than anyone else that Nanjirou is probably tearing his hair out, trying to figure out a way to thwart that woman's attempts at hurting his family, and Rika probably knew it as well, otherwise, she would never have gone to him. And now, his daughter, his pride and joy, had ended up kidnapped by that woman.

The man is close to losing his mind.

"Is this the right room?" asked Jackal, worried, looking left and right.

"It is," said Yukimura, his eyes transfixed on something by his foot, and he bent down only to pick up a silver bracelet, showing it to the others. "I gave this to Rika last year for her birthday. She's been here."

"Atobe-san, can you find out where that woman is right now?" asked Kevin, turning towards the Atobe heir in panic.

Atobe sighed before fishing out one of his many cellphones in his pocket. "I'll make a few calls—"

"Don't bother." A voice interrupted, and everyone present turned towards the doorway only to see an unusually grim looking Echizen Ryoga stepping into the room, looking as if he would like to punch something. "I know where Rika and that woman who calls herself my mother are." He glanced at his father's worried face. "I telephoned Takashi, the older brother of that Takahiro kid in Rika's tennis team. He is a former FBI agent who had been involved in that cruise ship accident some time back. And even though he had left the FBI now, he still had a rather large network of spies and friends still in the intelligence business. Takashi managed to trace the woman down to an old abandoned hotel somewhere in the Shinjuku area of Tokyo."

Atobe growled low in his throat. "That woman has gone too far this time…" he growled below his breath, sounding rather like an angry dog. "No one, I do mean _no one, _touches my cousin and gets away with it! You guys go on ahead to that abandoned hotel. I'll catch up with you later. I have some…preparations to do."

Ryoga nodded, and Atobe disappeared from the room immediately. He then sighed and turned towards the younger teens as well as his father. "Let's go."

Everyone nodded before following Ryoga out of the room, and down the fire emergency stairs.

Time is of the essence here, after all.

Yukimura was fighting to keep himself from getting into a panic attack.

'_Rika, hang on! We're coming!'_

**XXXXXX**

_Abandoned Hotel  
Shinjuku, Tokyo_

"You are crazy if you think that my brother and father will pay you that ridiculous sum of money when it is so obvious that it is a trap," said Rika coldly, ignoring the fact that thin wires are cutting into her delicate flesh as she was tied to a chair, with her hands tied behind the chair. And she is also trying hard to ignore the pounding pain in her temples, and she hoped that it is _not _the signs of a head concussion as she had hit her head pretty hard earlier.

"Your father will," said Kimiko calmly, examining her nails by the moonlight whilst sitting beside the broken window. "He will do anything just to get his precious daughter back. That man is pretty protective of his loved ones."

"Why are you doing this?" Rika demanded.

If she can just keep this woman talking…

If she knew her cousin and her brother like how she does, she is pretty sure that one of them is sure to know where they are right now, as Keigo had a knack to find information and the whereabouts of people that he isn't supposed to know, and her brother had some pretty impressive connections all over the place.

"I need money," said Kimiko simply, looking at Rika. "It's just as simple as that. It is just a simple stroke of luck that your family is pretty well-off and famous. That brother of yours sure knew how to pick his family, especially being the son of a former whore."

Rika snorted, not very impressed with the woman, and ignoring her current plight. "I stick to what I've said before. It is women like you that are the bane of all women everywhere. You don't even deserve to be called a mother, and should not even be given the chance to be one! I do think that it is probably kami's mercy to my brother that my father had never married you!"

An angry scowl appeared on Kimiko's face just then before she stalked over to Rika and pulled her head back by the hair, the dark haired girl ignoring the pain in her scalp. As if by magic, a dagger suddenly appeared in Kimiko's other hand, pressing the blade of the dagger lightly against Rika's delicate throat.

"Say one more word, and I'll slit your throat open right here." Kimiko hissed.

"Oh, you would rather have the added charge of murder right above fraud, kidnap and blackmail?" Rika questioned coolly, ignoring the fact that the blade of a dagger is pressed lightly against her throat, just one second away from ending her life. "Last that I recall, Japan is pretty harsh on offences like that."

Funny.

She doesn't feel afraid at all. She supposed that after having been so near death not once, but TWICE, she is used to danger by now. Once during that accident that she was involved in just before the Kantou finals with Shiki. The second during the cruise ship accident when she had nearly gotten herself blown up by that idiot brother of Takahiro. And now this.

After all, they say that three's a charm.

"I said, SHUT UP!"

BANG!

The door of the room that they are in crashed opened just then, effectively causing the already rotting door to fall off the hinges, and crashed onto the floor with a loud bang. Ryoga was standing at the doorway, panting, one hand against the doorway. And behind him were Nanjirou, Kevin, Yukimura, Sanada, Yanagi and Jackal.

Rika's eyes widened a slight fraction when she saw her brother and father, along with her friends, sempais and her boyfriend. "Nii-san…"

Ryoga's eyes hardened with anger and fury when he saw the blade of the dagger resting against his sister's neck. "Let my sister go…" Ryoga hissed with fury, taking one step into the room, with the others following him in. "Natsumo Kimiko…"

"Rika…!" Yukimura hissed, half-afraid of making a wrong move, as just a twitch of a hand, and Rika will be dead.

"Rika!" Kevin gasped, going pale instantly when he saw the current sight in front of him.

"Kimiko, don't make things worse for yourself," said Nanjirou with a low growl in his voice. "Let my daughter go. If you do, I'll plead leniency for you with the judge. Just let her go. Let my daughter go now!"

"I'm finished either way anyway." Kimiko hissed, still not letting go of her hold on Rika and the dagger that she is holding. "If I'm going down, then I'm taking your daughter down with me, and there is nothing that any of you can do to stop me!"

"You can't escape the hands of the law." Ryoga stated.

A cold smirk appeared on Kimiko's face. "Ah, Ryoga…my dear son. It's been nearly nineteen years, or maybe twenty now, since I've last seen you. The last time that I've seen you, you are only a tiny ugly little baby. Look at you now, a handsome young man."

Ryoga's eye twitched dangerously. "You're not my mother," he hissed in fury, and Kevin, as well as the Rikkai boys turned towards the teen in surprise, as no one had ever seen Ryoga so angry before. "You've already ceased to be my mother the day when you had abandoned me! I only have one mother, and you are _not_ her!"

Nanjirou took one step forwards. "Kimiko, don't make things worse for yourself. Let Rika go. The police are already on their way. Let Rika go. Let my daughter go!"

"Stop lying!" Kimiko screeched, the hand holding the dagger shaking in fury, and Yukimura was terrified for a moment that her hand would slip and cut Rika's throat. "Just give me what I want, and I'll go away and leave your family alone! Just give me what I want!"

At that same exact instance, bright blaring lights were shone into the room just then, causing everyone present to shield their eyes with their hands to prevent themselves from going temporarily blind. And for Rika who can't use her hands right now, she has to screw her eyes shut.

A loud voice being spoken over a loudspeaker blared out loud and clear just then, along with the low drones of the blades of a helicopter. "Natsumo Kimiko, you are being surrounded! Drop your weapons right this instance in the name of ore-sama!"

Dark figures appeared at the windows and even the doorway just then, wearing dark uniforms which Ryoga, being a former FBI agent, recognised immediately, and so did the other occupants. Only a complete and utter idiot wouldn't recognise that uniform.

"SWAT!" Yanagi gasped, still shielding his eyes from the light, his eyes opened. "Atobe sure didn't hold back, did he?"

Kimiko was trembling so badly that everyone was afraid that her grasp on that dangerous looking dagger would slip and hurt Rika. The woman then fell to the ground on her knees, the dagger clattering onto the ground by her foot.

"I never meant to harm anyone…! If you would just give me what I wanted, then I'll just go away! I only wanted the money…!"

Two SWAT agents had surrounded Kimiko, pointing their weapons at her whilst a third SWAT agent was busy handcuffing her, and ensuring that she couldn't move, but not before kicking the dagger right across the room, of course.

Nanjirou and Ryoga were currently by Rika's side, cutting the ropes that had bound her to the chair, and the dark haired girl was rubbing her wrists, trying to ease circulation into her wrists.

"Of all the foolish things to do, this just takes the cake!" Echizen Nanjirou snapped. "Why didn't you talk to me about it before you go rushing off to meet Kimiko?"

Before Rika could even retort, Ryoga and Nanjirou was knocked aside just then, and Yukimura was by Rika's side so quickly that one would have sworn that he had just teleported right across the room, hugging Rika like he was afraid that she would evaporate into smoke.

"_Don't _scare me like that again!" Yukimura scolded, still quite well aware of Nanjirou's glare at the back of his head. The man had never liked him for obvious reasons, with Reason Number One being that he is the boyfriend of his precious princess.

Meanwhile, Kimiko is kicking up quite a fuss, with the rest of the Rikkai boys and Kevin watching with interest. "I am your mother, Ryoga!" Kimiko screamed, fighting tooth and nail with the three SWAT agents trying to secure her. "I am your mother!"

"Shut the fucking hell up!" Ryoga lost his temper. "You are _not_ my _fucking _mother!"

Between the three SWAT agents, they managed to get the highly unstable woman out of the room, and her hysterical screams soon faded away. Silence soon reigned, with Yukimura holding Rika up as her legs couldn't seem to hold her up.

Ryoga, Rika and Kevin then turned towards Echizen Nanjirou as one, similar looks on each of their faces. "So oyaji…" said Ryoga with a drawl. "You still got any other old girlfriends who got a bone to pick with you that we don't know about? I don't know about you, but this last one with the crazy stunt that she had pulled is enough to shave ten years off my life."

Nanjirou looked sheepish as he answered. "None that I knew of," he mumbled. He then turned towards Rika. "And you're grounded for a week because of this last stunt that you've pulled, chibi-chan!"

Rika sighed, she had expected something like that coming from her father. Oh well, it could be worse. At least it is only a week.

Kevin smiled to himself, one finger at his chin. "I guess things have gone back to normal now, isn't it?" he asked cheerfully.

Rika sighed. "Yeah, as normal as it could get for us at least," she muttered.

Yukimura chuckled.


	56. School Drama

I'm back! And sorry for the wait! Also, just a heads-up, but this is also a filler chapter of sorts before the real thing begins next chapter, and it might just have another four to five chapters before this story is completed, and I'll then focus more on My Princess, My Prince. Rest assured, that story is _not _abandoned. And I might start Silence, The Loudest Sound then too. Also, please bear in mind that I am not very sure of the seasons in Japan, and thus, I do not know which month falls in which season, so I'm just going by my own imagination here.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Fifty Six: School Drama**

Late summer soon became autumn, and all of Kanagawa is soon feeling the chill that comes with it every single time when autumn hits. And despite the chilling weather, the regulars of Rikkaidai Fuzoku could still be found practicing earnestly without fail every single day at the school tennis courts, especially since the National Tournament is only a week away.

"Damn! It's freezing!" Rika hissed to herself as she opened the door of the tennis clubroom and entered, closing the door behind her, rubbing her hands together to warm herself up. Despite the autumn uniform of Rikkaidai having an additional sleeveless cream-coloured sweater over the uniform, it doesn't really provide much protection against the cold bitter wind that autumn season in Kanagawa always brings with it.

"Oh. Rika. Good afternoon."

Rika looked up only to see Kevin in the clubroom currently in the process of changing into his tennis jersey, and she sighed. "Hurry up and get into the courts," she stated. "The faster that we get out to practice, the sooner that we could get ourselves warmed up."

"I guess so."

**

* * *

**_Tennis Courts  
Rikkaidai Fuzoku_

"Well, practice is going smoothly so far." Kirihara stated from his place beside Rika as they watched the regulars practicing against each other, with every single one of them giving their all.

The captain and vice-captain of the tennis team were currently leaning against the fence with a clipboard in Rika's hand as she noted the regulars' strengths and weaknesses to determine the placement spot of each regular for the Nationals. Though unlike Kirihara, Rika had the tennis jacket draped around her shoulders to protect her from the bitter wind.

"Well, the National Tournament is in a week." Rika noted, scribbling something down into her clipboard, glancing up occasionally. "And speaking of that…" She glanced around before turning her attention back towards Kirihara. "Where are Ryou, Hikari and Shuu? It's rare of them to miss practice."

Hikaru who was passing by after a quick break heard what Rika had said, and stopped in his tracks. "Oh. Fukubuchou, you're searching for those three?" he questioned, and Rika nodded. "Hikari was called by our homeroom teacher for something. Something about forgetting to submit his History report yesterday. Ryou said something about leaving his tennis racquet behind in the classroom, and that he had to go back to retrieve it."

"And Shuu?"

"He left his data notebook behind in the classroom."

Kirihara almost sweat dropped. "What is it with those three? Were they this forgetful before?"

Hikaru chuckled and shrugged. "Who knows?" he asked before heading back towards the courts. "Hey Takahiro! How about a quick match with me?"

Rika frowned to herself.

She knew her regulars well, and knew that they weren't this forgetful before. Especially for someone as systematic as Shuu who is the tennis club's manager. As the manager, he had a pretty good memory. He had to in order to remember all the skills and techniques of the regulars and their opponents. And Rika knew for a fact that Shuu would never leave his precious notebook in which was included every single bit of data that he had recorded about their opponents and Rikkaidai's regulars lying about.

And Ryou might be the typical sleepyhead, on par with Hyotei's Akutagawa Jiroh, but even he would never be this forgetful by leaving his tennis racquet behind in the classroom. And Hikari… He would never neglect his schoolwork. In fact, Hikaru can be witness to Hikari's excellent school grades, as he repeatedly came in top in his class, and is actually one of the school's top five students for the sophomore level.

"Fukubuchou. Buchou. Sorry that I'm late," said Ryou's voice just then as the doors of the tennis court swung opened with a light creak.

Kirihara who was focusing on Takahiro's match with Hikaru didn't look around as he couldn't afford to, seeing as how Takahiro specialises in speed balls like Rika and Hikari. Rika was currently scribbling some data into the clipboard that she had with her, and didn't turn around from her work.

"Took you long enough, Ryou," said Rika, finally turning around to face one of the three missing regulars. "You know that the National Tournament is around the corner, so why are you—" Rika suddenly found that her voice was suddenly caught in her throat as she stared in disbelief at Ryou, and so did every single player on the courts – regular or non-regular.

Takahiro was staring in disbelief, forgetting that he was in mid-serve, and the tennis ball actually hit him on the head, but he didn't even feel it. Hikaru was rubbing his eyes to ensure that he wasn't seeing wrong, and Kevin had spit out his water in mid-swallow, coughing and hacking. Kirihara was staring in disbelief, his left eye twitching uncontrollably.

Especially since Ryou wasn't dressed in the normal yellow and black tennis jersey of the Rikkaidai regulars' jersey. No. He was dressed in annoyingly _bright _colours which happen to be in _bright pink _and _orange._

"I think that I need to wash my eyes out." Kirihara muttered, averting his eyes away from the sight.

Everyone in the tennis courts actually sweat dropped, and Takahiro turned his back onto Ryou, muttering something about the unnaturally bright colours that Ryou had on is hurting his eyes, and for once, he wished that he is colour blind.

The clipboard actually slipped from Rika's hand and fell to the ground as she stared in disbelief at her teammate and the attire that he is wearing, eyeing him from head to toe, actually glancing at her watch to ensure that it isn't April Fool's Day that day. "What's that?" she deadpanned. "Ryou, what the hell are you wearing?"

**

* * *

**Later after practice, all the tennis regulars were in the clubroom, all of them extremely wiped out because Kirihara had added an additional hour of practice that day, especially since Ryou had practically traumatised every single one of them with that 'clown-like attire' that he had worn. Thankfully, Shuu had shown up not too long after Ryou's appearance with Hikari in tow, and the former had dragged his best friend with him to the clubroom to change into the _proper tennis jersey, _much to everyone's relief, as the unnaturally bright colours were practically hurting all their eyes.

"Geez, what was with me earlier?" Ryou was muttering as he closed his locker door with a light bang, having changed into his school uniform. "And since when do I have something _that _bright? I hate bright colours after all."

"Maybe you're worn out?" Haruki suggested, buttoning up his uniform.

In a corner of the clubroom, being seated at the table on which was a basketful of tennis balls, Rika was twirling the pen about in between the fingers of her left hand, not really feeling affected by her regulars' current state of undress behind her. I mean, come on! She had a monk father who practically walked about in the house baring his bare chest for the world to see most of the time, and a brother who sometimes sleep in the nude. It isn't like she hadn't seen what the males have.

"Ryou isn't the only one acting out of character." Takahiro stated, tying his tie around his collar, but loosening it a great deal around his collar, closing his locker door and leaning against it. "Shuu, you misplaced your notebook in the classroom before practice, didn't you?"

Shuu looked slightly startled, but he nodded. "Yeah, and I'm still wondering how did _that _happen," he said, furrowing his brows together. "I wouldn't usually misplace something like that."

Rika said nothing, but her mind is working furiously at a hundred miles per minute. _'It's weird. Shuu is usually extremely careful with his data notebook, and would never let it leave his sight since there is accurate and meticulous data on the skills and stats on all our regulars. He wouldn't misplace it just like this. And Ryou had never liked bright colours, saying that it hurts his eyes – something which we could be certain of during the school festival. And Hikari too. He would never neglect his schoolwork, and I had never heard of him getting called in for forgetting to submit his homework before. I might believe it if it is Hikaru, Kirihara or Kevin, but Hikari? What is going on here? And what had happened to them?'_

Takahiro frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. "That's weird," he remarked. "The three of you would never make mistakes like that. Particularly Ryou. You had never liked bright colours, and as long as I've known you, you are always dressed in dark or dull colours. The only exception is the tennis jersey. And seeing you dressed today in _bright pink and orange _sure makes my day." He snickered, and the rest of the regulars have to stifle their chuckles. "It only makes me wish that I'd taken a picture of you."

"Don't remind me!" Ryou wailed, banging his head on his locker door. "I just want to wash my eyes out with bleach, or better yet, hypnotise myself to forget about today!"

Rika's ears perked up. _'Hypnosis?' _She then turned around in the chair that she is sitting in to face her regulars. "Hey, Shuu." Shuu turned towards his vice-captain, and so did all the other regulars. Rika had a frown on her face. "You won't usually make a mistake like that. I know you well enough to know that you would _never _leave your notebook simply lying about. You even took it to the toilet with you just so that it wouldn't leave your sight. And Ryou, you would also never leave your tennis racquet lying about like that. And Hikari, this is actually the first time that I've heard of you being called in by your teacher for a case of forgotten homework. I would probably believe it if it is Kevin or Hikaru, but you?"

"And what do you mean by that, fukubuchou?" Hikaru cried out in indignation, and the rest of the regulars snickered.

"I'm not really sure what had happened either, but I got into a little dispute with that girl from your class, fukubuchou. During lunchtime today." Shuu stated. "And I can't really remember what had happened after that."

Rika raised her eyebrow. "Girl from my class?" she echoed. "Which one? There are quite a number, Shuu. At least give me a name."

"Right. I think that it's Shungaki," said Shuu slowly, trying to remember the name. "Shungaki Miore. We got into a little argument regarding a freshman that I had protected from her bullying tendencies during lunchtime today."

Rika frowned. _'It can't be…' _She then turned towards Hikari and Ryou. "What about you two?"

The two exchanged looks before turning back towards their vice-captain. "Well, we have lunch together today as it is Hikaru's turn to babysit the rest of the club during lunch practice today," said Hikari with a slight frown on his face. "And yes, we did run into some girl who had shoved herself into Ryou, causing him to upset his onigiri all over her uniform, but we didn't really catch her name."

Rika sighed. "Describe her please."

"Long straight black hair all the way down to mid-back," said Hikari, gesturing with his hands, and Rika nodded as a gesture for him to continue. "Three silver hair clips that seemed awfully expensive in her hair. Light makeup. And it might be just me, but I could have sworn that her uniform seemed to be tailored from some expensive cloth, as it looks different from the one that the rest of the girls in the school wore."

Rika sighed, and she and Takahiro exchanged looks. "It's Shungaki alright." Takahiro muttered. "She's about the only girl in school who fits that description."

Hikaru almost sweat dropped at his twin's description of that troublesome girl. "What middle high school girl walks about with _makeup_ in school?" he muttered incredulously. "Playing Barbie or something?" Everyone laughed. "But regardless… Fukubuchou." He turned towards Rika. "So what even if Hikari, Ryou and Shuu ran into this Shungaki girl?"

"Well, nothing much, I guess." Rika muttered, though something told her otherwise. "Or at least, I hope not."

The rest of the regulars exchanged confused looks between themselves.

**XXXXXX**

_The Next Day  
Rikkaidai Fuzoku_

Morning practice the next day nearly froze all the regulars into an ice cube, especially with the bitter morning winds that come with the autumn season. And because their end-of-year examinations were also around the corner, along with Kirihara's high school entrance examinations, the regulars have decided amongst themselves after the Kantou tournament that they could no longer afford to miss first period of morning lessons despite the National Tournament being only a mere week away.

"Why must Kanagawa be so cold?" Takahiro blew on his hands to warm himself up as both Takahiro and Rika walked back to their classroom, as the two were in the same class. "If autumn is this cold, then I don't even want to know what winter is like."

Rika laughed. "Well, you'll get used to it. The cold weather will worsen as autumn goes on, so you might as well buy a scarf or two if you can't handle the cold now," she said, and Takahiro sighed. Rika then raised an eyebrow when she saw the back of one Shungaki Miore in front of them, also heading to her classroom. "Shungaki."

The mentioned girl turned around, and scowled when she caught sight of Rika. The latter then turned towards Takahiro. "Takahiro, head back to the classroom. I'll be there in awhile. I need a word with Shungaki."

"O-Okay," said Takahiro hesitantly, looking from one to the other before moving on his way.

The sound of the classroom door sliding opened before closing again sounded in the quiet hallway, and Rika turned towards Miore. "I'll go straight to the point," she said bluntly. "What did you do to my regulars yesterday?"

"Nothing at all."

"Don't lie to my face," said Rika sharply. "I don't believe in coincidences, and the 'mistakes' that they've committed yesterday are something that they would normally never do. And those 'mistakes' were committed straight after all three of them have ran into you by 'mistake'." Rika narrowed her eyes, and Miore gulped inwardly at those dangerous looking eyes. "What did you do to them?"

Miore sighed and closed her eyes. "There's no helping it," she said before her eyes snapped opened once more, and she latched out with her hand before pulling onto Rika's tie, tugging her upwards so that she is looking straight into Miore's eyes. "Look into my eyes." She commanded. "You…will quit the tennis club as vice-captain."

Rika's head then drooped down, and Miore smirked. "Just kidding," said Rika, and Miore stepped backwards in shock, before Rika raised her head, and the expression in her eyes spelt murder. "Hypnosis, is it? I thought so. You've got an interesting skill over there, Shungaki. I didn't even expect for you to possess a skill like that. I suppose this skill is part of the reason how you even managed to get Kuruchi to go out with you last year, despite him unable to stand your attitude. And how you even managed to get Ishigawa-sempai to lower your punishment when you've tried to force yourself on Kevin back then to mere detention instead of _suspension _from school." Rika then smirked at Miore's half-frightened expression. "But it's really too bad for you. Look more closely at who you're messing with." She then grabbed onto Miore's tie and yanked her forward so that their faces are practically just inches away from each other. "I have no intention to mess with anything that you're doing. But if you mess with one of my regulars, rest assured that I would repay it tenfold."

Rika then released her hold on Miore's tie, causing the latter to step backwards several steps, pale in the face, before the dark haired girl turned and left towards the direction of her classroom, completely missing the fact that Miore is glaring at her departing back with hatred, and balling her hands into fists by her sides.

**XXXXXX**

_After School that Day  
Rikkaidai Fuzoku_

"Strange…"

The classroom door of class 2-5 slid opened, and the only occupants in the classroom – Sora, Rika and Takahiro looked up, all currently in the process of packing up their school bags, as they were all up for cleaning duty that day.

Fuyama Miyako from the next door class, class 2-4, was standing at the opened doorway, a frown on her face. The girl also happens to be the lead pianist in the music club, and often accompanied Riku on the piano during music recitals.

"Miyako, what's up?" asked Rika, standing up and slinging her school bag across her chest.

"Did you see Riku?" asked Miyako with a frown. "He is supposed to meet me in the music room for practice for the music recital about half-an-hour ago, but I couldn't find him anywhere. And I know him. He wouldn't be late for something like that as we are Rikkaidai's representatives for the National Tournament in about a week."

The three still in the classroom blinked owlishly. Riku is missing? Now, all three knew their friend well, and knew that he wouldn't miss out on music practice, especially if he is one of the two representatives for Rikkaidai to the musical National Tournament.

Rika exchanged looks with Takahiro and Sora who nodded, and all three stood up. "Miyako, head back to the music room. We'll search for Riku. If he is in the music room, give us a call," said Rika, and Miyako nodded before leaving the classroom.

"Riku wouldn't do something like this," said Sora as all three left the classroom. "Where could he be?"

"Sora, you headed to the photography clubroom earlier before cleaning duty as Yamazaki-sempai had asked for your help about something regarding the tennis club. Did you perchance happen to see Shungaki?" asked Rika out of the blue, turning towards her friend.

Sora blinked at this sudden question before nodding. "Yeah, I did. She was headed towards the direction of the freshmen classrooms," he answered, and he was surprised when Rika scowled. "Rika?"

"I think I know where Riku is," she said before turning and heading towards the direction of the freshmen classrooms, and it is all that Takahiro and Sora could do in order to keep up with her.

With Rika's current speed, it wasn't that long before they've arrived at the hallway where the freshmen classrooms are, and she stopped in her tracks all of a sudden, causing the two boys behind to bump into her.

"Ow!" Sora held his nose. "What is it, Rika? Why have you stopped all of a sudden?" He then looked over his best friend's shoulder only to see a figure with silver hair sitting against the wall, clearly unconscious, and he immediately recognised it as Riku. "Riku?"

Rika had taken off running even before Riku's name had escaped from Sora's lips, and she was soon kneeling before Riku, with Takahiro on her other side, slapping Riku's face lightly and calling his name.

"Oi, Riku. Can you hear me? I am Takahiro. Wake up. Oi, Riku!" Takahiro called out, slapping Riku's face lightly.

Rika frowned as she peeled back one of Riku's eyelids and saw that he isn't really unconscious, but seemed more like dazed, and she knew what that is immediately. _'Hypnosis?' _She growled to herself.

Shungaki Miore _better_ have a damn good reason why she had placed her best friend under hypnosis. Rika then brought both her hands together and clapped both hands together, making a sound like a gunshot, causing both Takahiro and Sora to jump at the sudden loud sound.

"Rika, what was that for?" Sora asked, clutching at his chest, as Rika had literally given him a heart attack, with the sound so near to him.

"Waking Riku." Rika answered, turning back to her silver haired friend who was slowly stirring, blinking his eyes blearily opened. "Riku, can you hear me?"

"Keep it down." Riku almost groaned, holding onto his head like he had just suffered from a serious hangover. "You're too loud."

"Riku, what happened?" Rika asked quickly. "Why are you here?"

Riku's eyes flew opened just then as shock appeared in his eyes, and he made a sudden fast movement only to regret it almost immediately as pain wrecked through his head, and he clutched at his head. "Oh, my head…!" he almost groaned. He then cracked one eye opened, and grabbed Rika's arm. "Rika, listen! Shungaki had Seika! I don't know what she did, but she said something about using Seika to get back at you and Yukimura-sempai! And before I knew it, I had blacked out." He then groaned as pain wrecked through his head once more.

Rika growled before looking up at Sora. "This isn't good," she stated.

"You think?" Takahiro muttered, and a glare from Rika shut him up.

The raven haired girl then stood up and turned towards Sora. "Sora, get Riku to the infirmary and let him sleep it off. He'll be fine once he wakes. Takahiro, inform the rest of the team about this. I'm going to find Seika and Shungaki!"

Before either boy could say anything, Rika had taken off running down the hallway in search of the two.

**

* * *

**Rika practically flew through the school after grabbing a scared freshman who had stuttered out that he had seen Miore and Seika heading towards the direction of the school's swimming pool, and she had immediately taken off running.

She didn't know what, but she had a really bad feeling about it. And for some time now, she can't help but feel like Miore reminds her of someone, and it is only now that she realised that Miore kind of looks like that Natsumo Kimiko woman who is currently serving time in prison for one count of kidnap, one count of attempted murder, one count of fraud, and another count of blackmail. All these offences added up to at least twenty five years in prison for the woman.

Rika appeared at the entrance to the school's swimming pool just in time to see Miore shove Seika into the pool's deep end, and from where she could see, the blank look in Seika's eyes cleared up immediately. Rika immediately cursed and headed straight for Seika, especially since there is one little fact that nearly everyone in Rikkaidai didn't know.

A fact that Yukimura Seika couldn't swim!

Miore was taken aback when Rika threw her school bag into her face, causing the former to fall flat on her back before there was a loud splash, and Rika had jumped straight into the pool's deep end to save a struggling and frightened Seika. Rika winced visibly when she leapt straight into the pool and felt almost like she had just jumped into Arctic water as it is literally freezing water! She soon felt all her muscles freezing up due to the cold and knew now why Seika is struggling.

Even if she couldn't swim, the temperature of the water is enough to freeze the muscles of even the most seasoned swimmer, especially with the cold weather these days in Kanagawa. There is a reason, a _number _of reasons why Rikkaidai Fuzoku had never allowed swimming to be put on the schedule of physical education lessons once autumn hits.

"Fukubuchou!"

"Rika!"

Rika turned in mid-swim towards Seika, with the weight of her uniform soaked by the water weighing her down only to see that Takahiro had arrived with the rest of the tennis regulars, and Takahiro was pinning Miore down to the ground by her shoulder blades.

"Stay where you are! Don't come into the pool!" Rika shouted over her shoulder before swimming towards Seika who was struggling, having already gone under several times, and had swallowed some of the pool's water. "Seika!" Rika grabbed hold of Seika, trying to keep her head above the water at the same end. "Seika, it's me! Calm down!"

Seika's struggling caused Rika to lose her hold on the freshman girl just then, and she went under. Only this time, she didn't resurface. Rika didn't waste any time in going under the water and grabbing the freshman girl, and surfacing with her. Seika lay limp in her arms, and Rika didn't waste any time with swimming towards the shore quickly with the freshman, feeling her muscles already starting to cramp from the horribly cold water.

Kirihara, Hikaru and Haruki immediately reached out by pulling her out of the pool, with Takahiro still pinning Miore down with what Rika recognised as a judo move, but she didn't really care about it right now.

Quickly, Rika placed Seika flat on her back on the ground and felt for a pulse before performing CPR on her by pressing down onto her chest where her lungs were. "Come on, Seika! Don't give up on me!" Rika almost shouted, barely acknowledging the fact that Kirihara had stripped out of his tennis jacket and had draped it around her shoulders to protect her from the cold autumn wind, especially with her completely wet through. She then turned towards Kevin. "Call an ambulance!"

"H-Hai!"

_One. Two. One. Two. One. Two._

After what felt like the tenth time that she is attempting CPR on Seika, the freshman coughed up water from her lungs, but still remained unconscious. Rika was going to attempt another attempt at CPR, but a hand on her shoulder caused Rika to turn around only to see Takahiro.

"I'll do it." He stated. "I'll let you handle Shungaki."

Rika nodded before getting to her feet where the twins were keeping Shungaki down on her knees by holding onto her shoulders. The vice-captain of the Rikkaidai tennis team stomped over to Shungaki despite the muscles in her legs feeling numb, and dealt the other female the hardest slap that she could issue out, with the sound echoing all around the pool.

All the regulars could only stare at Rika in shock. They have never seen Rika lose her temper before, and neither did they see her hit another person before. The vice-captain of the tennis team was actually shivering – both due to the cold, and also the fact that her muscles were slowly numbing.

"You had better pray that Seika will be alright, or I'm going to make you wish that you were never born!" Rika hissed, her hand twitching, practically shivering from both the cold and from anger. And she had to wrap her arms around herself to try to warm herself up, but to no avail.

Miore looked defiantly at Rika. "I didn't know that she couldn't swim."

Kirihara glared at Miore with a look that deemed him worthy of the nickname 'Devil'. "Did it ever cross your pea-sized brain that it is _autumn _now, and there is a reason, a _number _of reasons why the school had never allowed the students to go swimming during autumn?" he nearly hissed, sounding rather like an angry snake.

"Why do you hate Rika so much anyway?" Kevin demanded. "She never did anything to you, save for that time back then, and then again, you brought it on yourself anyway."

The rest of the regulars looked on curiously, all of them wanting to know why as well. Miore glared at Rika. "You ruined my mother's life," she accused, and Rika can only stare incredulously.

Huh?

"Who the hell is your mother?" Haruki asked, furrowing his brow. "I don't believe that Rika had ever met your mother before."

"She did." Miore insisted, and Rika frowned.

She thinks that she knew who Miore's mother is now. "Is your mother Natsumo Kimiko?" she questioned, and Miore nodded, still glaring at Rika. Rika sighed. "I see."

"Natsumo Kimiko?" Hikaru echoed, looking from one to the other in confusion. "Who is that?"

Kevin sighed. "She is the woman who had kidnapped Rika awhile back, and had tried to blackmail her family," he answered, and Hikaru nodded.

The regulars only knew the barest details of what had happened back then to cause Rika to skip two days worth of school and tennis practice, especially with the National Tournament just around the corner. All that Rika would tell them after everything had been settled is that the woman is now in prison, and would only be out once she's an old woman.

"You ruined my mother's life." Miore accused, and Rika sighed.

"Okay. Let me guess," said Rika sarcastically. "Your mother hooked up with a supposed rich man in Japan, and had you. And later on, your bitch of a mother dumped you on your father, or maybe you're adopted by someone else? In other words, you're a love child?"

Miore growled at Rika's words which told the girl that she had hit the nail on the head. "It is _your _father who had forced my mother to abandon me!" she hissed. "True, I'm brought up in a wealthy family, but my father had never spared any time for me! He only provides for me financially! It is all your family's fault that I had to grow up without knowing a mother's love or the protection from a father!"

Rika and Kevin exchanged looks, both not saying what they are thinking about; that Miore is Ryoga's younger half-sister. What a complicated family! And maybe it is better for Ryoga not to know about it. And Miore doesn't seem to want to acknowledge the fact that she still had any relations left anyway. And on that note, why didn't Miore hate her mother if Natsumo Kimiko had abandoned her?

Haruki almost groaned as the sounds of ambulance sirens came into hearing view. "How the hell did this girl get this crazy idea?" he wondered.

**XXXXXX**

_Morita Hospital  
Tokyo, Japan_

Yukimura Seiichi sighed as he looked at his girlfriend, both who were currently in the hallway of the waiting room as doctors examined Yukimura Seika, and were currently trying to make the girl throw up any remnants of water that she had swallowed, especially since the pool water isn't exactly healthy.

The Rikkaidai team had headed back earlier after Rika had insisted that she's fine, despite the doctor hospitalising her because of signs of pneumonia. Her brother and cousin have arrived in a wide scale panic two hours earlier, especially since Rika's parents were away in Osaka for a business trip for her mother, and her father had just tagged along. And with Rika's insistence that she is fine, both her brother and cousin have then gone to see to the hospital admittance papers for Rika.

"Man, you're sure reckless," said Yukimura with a sigh. "Haru almost gave me a heart attack when he had telephoned me earlier, saying that both you and Seika were in the hospital. Fortunately, my parents are both currently in Hokkaido visiting my grandmother, or their reactions would be far worst." Yukimura gave Rika a mock glare. "You knew how cold the water of the pool is during the autumn season, especially since the temperature of the autumn season this year is comparable to the winter season, and you still jumped into the pool without thinking of your own welfare? You are lucky that the ambulance came quickly enough, or you would have lost your ability to even _walk_ as frostbite had practically set in!"

Rika sighed at her boyfriend. "I'm fine!" she insisted, despite the fact that she had bandages around her left arm and the calves on both legs. "Even the doctor said so, didn't he? I would be able to get out of the hospital within a week, just in time for the Nationals."

Yukimura almost groaned, palming his face. "Only you, Rika," he deadpanned. "Only you would be more worried about the Nationals than about your own safety."

Rika laughed before turning serious. "Well, I can't just let Seika drown, can I?" she asked sensibly. "I know that she couldn't swim as she told me so during the onsen trip at the end of last year. And besides, I also knew that there is a reason, a _number _of reasons why the school had never allowed swimming in our physical education lessons during the autumn season. It gets bitterly cold during autumn, and it is especially worse this year." She sighed. "Seika is lucky that I've found her early, or she would have drowned, or maybe even suffered from pneumonia."

"And about that girl…" Yukimura said slowly. "Shungaki Miore, is it? What is the school going to do with her?"

Rika sighed. "About that…" She cleared her throat and looked at Yukimura. "Ishigawa-sempai came by earlier. She told me that the Student Council had met with the principal after Riku had told the principal and the Student Council his side of the story when Shungaki had used hypnosis on him. And because of the seriousness of Shungaki's offences which included attempted murder, though in her defence, she _didn't _know that Seika couldn't swim, and with her usage of hypnosis on fellow students, the principal had decided to expel her, especially since both Shungaki's school conduct and studies aren't exactly up to Rikkaidai's standard. But seeing as how it is so near the end of school year, the principal had decided that she will be kept home until the end-of-year examinations, in which he will allow her to take her exams, then, she will be officially expelled from Rikkaidai."

"I see…" said Yukimura darkly. "Well, since she's already getting punished, I won't deal out my own version of punishment for nearly having drowned my own sister!"

Rika almost sweat dropped. "Seiichi, any punishment that _you_ deal out will be _ten times worse _than what the Student Council and the principal will do, if I know you," she said, pointing that little fact out. "Just leave it be. She's already getting her punishment, along with forty hours of community service when the police have caught wind of what had happened. Because hypnosis usage isn't exactly a crime in Japan, and Shungaki is still a minor, her punishment by law is community service, and a criminal record."

"And about that, why didn't Shungaki's hypnosis work on you?" asked Yukimura with a frown, turning towards Rika. "I've heard from Riku that Shungaki admitted to using hypnosis on you when the principal had asked her which students that she had used hypnosis on."

"Oh." Rika blinked. "About that, there is a trick to hypnotism."

"Oh?"

"Yeah," said Rika with a nod. "Hypnotism doesn't really work on you as long as you do not believe in the words of the caster or the person itself." She explained. "And if you have a strong enough will to resist implanted commands in your brain itself, you can resist it too."

"And how do you know that?" asked Yukimura with a frown. "I never knew that you knew how hypnotism actually works."

Rika sighed. "Because I went for hypnotism treatment at the psychiatrist centre after Yuki had died in America almost two years ago," she answered, and Yukimura's eyes widened. "The psychiatrist that I visit taught me some methods of hypnotism when she heard that I will be leaving for Japan so that I can use it on myself if I ever lapsed into depression again, and she also taught me the methods to break out of it. It's a pretty useful skill to have, but also dangerous in the hands of the wrong people, like Shungaki." Rika sighed. "I don't know where that girl had learned such a skill, but let's be thankful that she didn't cause more damage than what she had done."

"Hmm…" Yukimura had a thoughtful look on his face, along with a glint in his eyes which Rika didn't like, as she had recognised it as a look that her boyfriend always had on his face whenever he is thinking of something that she didn't like. Yukimura then turned towards Rika. "Can you use hypnosis on me then?"

Rika blinked owlishly. "Huh?"

"At least let me have some 'insight' into the future…of us two together." Yukimura grinned.

It took Rika several seconds before Yukimura's words sank into her head, and she blushed red. "Sei~ichi…!" Rika balled a hand into a fist. "HYPNOSIS ISN'T MEANT TO BE USED FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT!"

SMACK!

"Ouch!"

* * *

_**Upcoming Stories:**_

_**Silence, the Loudest Sound (Prince of Tennis)**_

_All of Rikkaidai Fuzoku, the boys' tennis team especially were excited when they heard that the famous Princess of Tennis would be coming to their school and joining the boys' tennis team after having disappeared from the professional tennis scene for six months. But what Rikkaidai and everyone didn't know is that the Princess of Tennis can't speak. FemRyo_

_**One Last Hope (Naruto)**_

_AU FemNaru. The attack on the village by Akatsuki had greater repercussions than expected, and war was soon declared on the elemental nations by the Choushuu. Desperate to at least save whatever lives that she could, Tsunade, the Godaime Hokage sent three of her best ninjas to Kyoto to seek the help of the Shinsengumi - Nara Shikamaru, Hyuuga Hinata and Namikaze Sayo. Naruto/Hakuoki crossover. Saitou/FemNaru_

_**The Will to Protect (Naruto)**_

_FemNaru. With the aftermath of the Akatsuki attack, the Council of Elders and the Fire daimyo, with an overruled voting to select the next Hokage, picked one Namikaze Sayo, the Hokage's right hand and ANBU captain as the Rokudaime Hokage. Shikamaru/FemNaru_

_**Hilda Evans Snape (Harry Potter)**_

_FemHarry. Hilda Potter never went to the Dursleys at all. Lily Potter had made it quite clear in her will that if anything were to happen to her and her husband, one Severus Snape is to be given custody of her. With use of a blood adoption ritual, Severus Snape soon became the father of Hilda Potter, and soon became known as Hilda Evans Snape. Hilda is two years older than canon. Charlie/FemHarry _

_**I Fall For You (Uragiri wa Boku no Namae wo Shitteiru)**_

_What if Yuki is reborn as a girl in this life? And what if she is much more quiet and soft-spoken than expected? After a trauma that sealed her voice shut, she gains unexpected help in the form of Zweilt Guardians, and will she open her heart to a certain Opast? Luka/Yuki_

_**My Little Angel (07-Ghost)**_

_FemTeito. Verloren's angel was slain by the 7 Ghosts when the daughter of the King of Heaven wanted the angel out of the way. Mad with grief, Verloren slain Eve, and both master and angel were then banished to Earth for eternal reincarnation until the end of time. Now 1000 years later, both master and angel met each other again…in the Barsburg Military Academy._

_**Three's a Crowd! (Kaichou wa Maid-sama)**_

_Who would have thought that the Student Council President of Miyabigaoka and the Demon President of Seika High were once friends? No one in Seika High expected that, least of all Usui Takumi. And thus, the poor guy soon started feeling very jealous when Igarashi Tora soon making advances on Misaki. Usui/Misaki. One-sided Igarashi/Misaki_


	57. Takahiro, Back with a Vengeance!

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Fifty Seven: Takahiro, Back with a Vengeance!**

_Echizen Residence  
__Kanagawa, Japan_

It was night, and darkness had already long fallen.

In her bedroom, Echizen Rika could be found sitting at her desk reading a book, yet she wasn't really focused on the contents of her book, as her mind kept going back to the opening day of the National Tournament nearly two weeks ago when the two tennis teams of Seigaku and Rikkaidai have ended up standing side-by-side with each other, and Shiki, as the captain of Seigaku, was standing at the helm of his team, whilst she, as the vice-captain of Rikkaidai, was standing behind Kirihara during the line-up.

_It's been a long time, Shiki._

_Aa._

_Now that we're both recovered and at full health, we can play again. I'll be waiting for you at the finals._

_I'm looking forward to it._

It had been nearly two weeks ever since that day, and after round after round of fierce fighting with rival schools, it is finally time for the finals of the Nationals. And as luck would have it, Seigaku and Rikkaidai would be facing each other on the courts _again!_

Rika sighed at that. She really couldn't seem to get away from Seigaku, could she? It always seems to her that their two schools always ended up facing each other on the courts, and not just in any match as well, but always during the _finals _of a tournament.

A light crack at her window caused Rika to look up just then in surprise, and another crack sounded, only this time, Rika was alert enough to realise that someone had been throwing pebbles at her window. Sighing, the dark haired girl stood up and slid opened the window glass of her window, catching an incoming pebble with her other hand as she did so.

She then looked out of the window only to see Kevin standing down below outside the house where her room overlooks the back of the house where the tennis courts are. The blonde is currently dressed in a white polo T-shirt with black tennis pants, wearing a pair of black wristbands around his wrists, his tennis racquet in his right hand.

"What is it?" asked Rika with a raised brow, staring down at Kevin.

Kevin smiled. "Want to have a quick game?" he asked.

**XXXXXX**

"_Always win, Rikkaidai!"_

"_Let's go! Let's go! Rikkaidai!"_

"_Seigaku! Fight!"_

"They're too loud." Haruki complained, covering his ears with both hands after the usual customary handshake for all the team players of the two opposing teams, with the Rikkaidai team heading back to their bleachers, with Kirihara taking the seat of bench coach.

As always, the cheers of the cheerleaders which nearly made up half of the student population of Rikkaidai Fuzoku was nearly deafening to the ears that those with sensitive hearing like Rika, Takahiro, Ryou, Haruki, Shiki, Haruse and Shiki nearly winced in agony. Coupled that with Seigaku's own cheerleaders who were currently cheering at the top of their lungs, and you'll have an almost deafening court to handle.

Riku and Sora were present in Rikkaidai's bleachers alongside Seika and Yurika as well. The old regulars from Rikkaidai Fuzoku who were now all in high school were present as well, alongside the team captain and vice-captain respectively of Rikkai High – Kirihara Akira and Himura Haruka. Privately, Rika thinks that the latter two might just be there to scout for any potential new talents for their school.

Nearly every single school who had ever participated in the Nationals were currently seated in the bleachers, filling it all up. Fudoumine and Hyotei were both present. So were St. Rudolph, Yamabuki, Shitenhouji, Nadoya and Rokkaku. Jyousei Shounan was also present.

Rikkaidai had actually ended up facing off against Hyotei, Yamabuki and Shitenhouji during the Nationals that year, with Rika facing Shitenhouji's sophomore captain, Toyama Kintarou in singles one during their match against Shitenhouji during the semi-finals, much to her dismay, as the guy just _wouldn't_ stop pestering her rather like a monkey on high sugar throughout the entire match, much to the entire Rikkaidai team's amusement at their vice-captain's annoyance.

Kirihara who is seated as bench coach took a glance at the match line-ups' form in his hand just then, reading and re-reading the line-ups that will be taking place for their match against Seigaku. He, Rika, Kevin and Shuu have spent the entire day two days ago just discussing about the line-ups before finally deciding on one that made all four of them happy with no objections whatsoever.

_Singles Three: Tanaka Takahiro (sophomore) versus Igawaki Haruse (senior)_

_Doubles Two: Fuuma Hikari (sophomore) and Fuuma Hikaru (sophomore) versus Kaidoh Kaoru (senior) and Momoshiro Takeshi (senior)_

_Singles Two: Kevin Smith (sophomore) versus Kenneth Smith (sophomore)_

_Doubles One: Yukimura Haruki (sophomore) and Kirihara Akaya (senior) versus Kachiro Kato (sophomore) and Katsuo Mizuno (sophomore)_

_Singles One: Echizen Rika (sophomore) versus Shinderui Shiki (sophomore)_

Privately, Kirihara suspects that Rika and Shuu have both actually decided to place him in doubles one alongside Haruki because that will be his final match for the year as it is already his final year in Rikkaidai Fuzoku, seeing as how he'll be graduating that year and going to high school the next school year.

Ryou will be skipping out on this match, though Kirihara doesn't think that that usual lazy genius will actually mind much, since he spends nearly ninety percent of the time sleeping anyway. He'll probably never get anything done if Shuu doesn't make him. It makes Kirihara wonder for the hundredth time just how he had ever managed to get on the regulars in the first place.

"_Without further ado, it is now time for the finals between Kanagawa's Rikkaidai Fuzoku and Tokyo's Seishun Gakuen. The first match of singles three of Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Tanaka Takahiro against Seishun Gakuen's Igawaki Haruse. Both players, please enter the courts."_

From the bleachers, Rika frowned to herself as she watched Takahiro examine his racquet strings solemnly whilst being seated beside Kirihara before getting up and shrugging his jacket off of his shoulders, tossing it onto the bench. The Chessmaster then proceeded to enter the courts where the third year Seigaku player stood waiting for him patiently at the net.

"Shuu." Rika spoke, and the tennis manager of Rikkaidai turned towards the dark haired girl. Rika frowned as she studied the forms of Takahiro and Seigaku's Igawaki Haruse. "If I'm not mistaken, didn't Takahiro lose against Igawaki during the finals of the Kantou tournament?" She asked, turning towards the tennis manager. "I wasn't there at that time as I was in the hospital, but Kirihara managed to get me video tapes of the finals from start to finish."

"Yeah, he did," said Shuu with a nod. "But it wasn't really his fault, as Takahiro was suffering from tendinitis then. Privately, I think that if Takahiro was at full health that day, the match might have gone to him just as easily. Those two are evenly matched, and it really depends on who Lady Luck is smiling at as well."

"I see," said Rika with a nod, turning her attention back towards Takahiro. "Then today's singles three might just be very interesting."

**XXXXXX**

"Never imagined that I'll actually have the chance to face you in a match again, Tanaka," said Igawaki Haruse with a gentle smile. "You're at one hundred percent today, I hope?"

Takahiro nodded. "I'm completely healed, so you don't have to worry," he said. He then narrowed his eyes. "And I'll tell you now. I don't lose to the same person twice."

Haruse smirked. "That's how it should be," he said.

"_The National tournament finals of singles three, Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Tanaka Takahiro versus Seishun Gakuen's Igawaki Haruse will begin now."_

**XXXXXX**

"_One set match! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Tanaka to serve!"_

Takahiro gripped the tennis ball in his hand tightly as he stared at the bright yellow ball in his left hand, with his racquet in his right.

Memories of his loss from that day during the finals of the Kantou tournament still remain fresh in his mind. It wasn't so much the loss that had irked him, but just _how _he had lost. Up until that day when he had faced Igawaki Haruse in that match, he had _never _lost to anyone in a match sans for Rika. And from what he had heard from Rika who had heard from Shinderui Shiki, the captain of the Seigaku tennis team, Igawaki wasn't happy with how he had won the match as well.

Takahiro looked up across the court to see Igawaki standing across from him, waiting for him to serve, and Takahiro tightened his jaw as well as his grip on the ball. This is just another match after all, only one that he _mustn't _lose. He'll be damned if he lose to this guy _again! _He won't lose to the same person _twice. _It is true that he hadn't yet won in a match – whether official or non-official against Rika, but that is another matter entirely.

'_The match from that day…' _thought Takahiro, throwing the ball up into the air. _'I shall repay it to you today!'_

And he served.

**XXXXXX**

"Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Tanaka! 2-2!"

Over at Rikkaidai's bleachers, Haruki whistled lowly to himself. "Damn! Takahiro sure is going all out right from the start," he said with a grin. "Seems like he is still mighty pissed off about his loss to that Igawaki guy back during the finals of the Kantou tournament."

"Well, he has gotten stronger since then, so he might just win this match," said Shuu reasonably, not taking his eyes off of Takahiro's match, along with every other.

"I only hope that that is the case," said Rika darkly, her arms crossed over her chest. "Takahiro and Seigaku's Igawaki Haruse are both evenly matched in terms of tennis skill, ability and talent. Takahiro's nickname as 'the Chessmaster' mainly comes about from his observation ability, and his ability to read his opponent's moves just from their muscle movements as well as their body language alone. He has the same ability that I have. But Igawaki Haruse's tennis is extremely unpredictable as he uses a form of Sporty Tennis – movements taken from other sports like badminton, soccer and table tennis. People who play with that tennis style are extremely difficult to predict, even for people who plays analysing tennis."

Rika frowned slightly as the rest of her team stared at her. "It is true that Takahiro had grown stronger since the Kantou finals, but so did Igawaki, I'm betting. Shiki isn't someone who would just sit about idling on his thumbs, especially after his school had already lost to us thrice in a row – twice during the finals of the Kantou tournaments and the Nationals from last year, and once more during this year's Kantou finals." Rika sighed softly. "This match really could go either way. It all really depends on who Lady Luck is smiling at today."

**XXXXXX**

"15-30!"

Igawaki Haruse frowned as he looked down at his right hand where his racquet had been knocked out of his hand by Takahiro earlier. His hand was trembling slightly as he did so, and he looked up at Takahiro's visage, and frowned.

'_This guy…' _thought Haruse, frowning to himself and narrowing his eyes slightly. _'He has gotten stronger since the last time that we have faced each other in a match. His smashes and serves are packed with more power than I've last remembered.' _He bent down and picked up his racquet before straightening himself up, and narrowing his eyes slightly. _'This guy…won't be easy to deal with.'_

**

* * *

**

"That Tanaka kid…" Kayama Shuuri frowned, narrowing his eyes as he saw Haruse's racquet getting knocked out of his hand. "Seems like he had grown stronger from the last time that Haruse had faced him in a match."

Shiki sighed from his place next to Momoshiro. "Well, I didn't expect anything less from Rika," he said. "She is sure to whip her team into shape for the Nationals, seeing as how it _is _Rikkaidai that we're talking about after all. And Tanaka is already one of their best players before the Nationals. It only makes sense that he'll want to avenge that loss that he had to Igawaki-sempai."

"W-Well, technically, Igawaki won because of Tanaka's injury at that time," said Momoshiro weakly. "Something which I highly doubt that Igawaki was happy with. This match is a form of grudge match for them then."

Shiki sighed. "You've got that right," he said with a nod. "Both of them are evenly matched, and equally skilled. And not to mention that they are both bad matchups against each other. Tanaka is an analysing type like Rika. And with Igawaki-sempai's tennis play style that is most effective against analysing tennis…" He sighed. "This match could go to either of them just as easily. It all really depends on who Lady Luck is smiling at today."

**XXXXXX**

"30-40!"

Takahiro frowned as he looked at Haruse who is stranding in the court across him before turning his head over his shoulder to look at the slight mark that the ball had made when the Seigaku senior had returned his smash with a copy of that 'smash returner' that that the tensai Fuji Syuusuke was so famous for.

What is that name of that counter again? Inu Otoshi or something?

Well, whatever. But since Haruse knew that move, though Heavens only knows where on earth he could have learned it. And that meant that all of his smashes have been effectively sealed off, which is double bad, especially since only power shots are the most effective shots against Igawaki Haruse at present.

An idea struck Takahiro just then, and he smiled to himself. _'If he can return all my smashes, then I'll make it so that he is unable to return it at the point of return!'_

**

* * *

**

"Stop, Takahiro!" Haruki shouted from Rikkaidai's bleachers when he saw Takahiro leaping up into the air, ready to attempt another smash. "Smashes wouldn't work on him!"

"What in the world is Takahiro thinking?" Riku muttered to himself from his place beside Rika, with Sora on her other side. "He should know that smashes wouldn't work on Igawaki-san."

"Takahiro is usually never this reckless," said Rika with a frown, lacing her fingers together before her mouth. "He must have a plan."

**

* * *

**

"Didn't I already tell you that smashes can't work on me?" Haruse nearly growled as he got into the position to receive Takashiro's smash, with Takahiro's shadow falling lightly onto his face, temporarily blocking the sun from view.

Takahiro's smirk could even be seen from the bleachers that the audience were currently occupying, and over at Rikkaidai's bleachers, Rika raised a curious eyebrow. _'What is he planning now?'_

"I don't fall for the same technique twice as well, Igawaki-san," said Takahiro simply before he smashed the ball down fast and hard which struck Haruse's wrist, causing him to drop his racquet as the ball flew up towards Takahiro who is midway to dropping down to the court. The Chessmaster then smirked before he smashed down on the ball again, this time earning him a point as the ball landed at the baseline, hereby clinching him the game for this set.

"Game, Rikkaidai's Tanaka! 4-4!"

**

* * *

**

"A rip-off from Kei's Rondo Towards Destruction, huh?" Rika whistled lightly, impressed with Takahiro's tactic. "Well, it isn't really the first time that someone had ripped moves off of that vain cousin of mine, but he'll live." She muttered as she glanced towards said cousin who wasn't looking happy, and is currently having a diva fit, much to the displeasure of his teammates who were with him.

"Since smashes can't work on Igawaki as long as he can return Takahiro's smashes, the only way to counter that fact is to make sure that Igawaki can't counter Takahiro's smashes with that Higuma Otoshi of his." Hikari remarked, lacing his fingers together before his mouth.

"Mimicking Atobe-san's Rondo Towards Destruction, huh?" Hikaru grinned to himself. "Nice one, Takahiro. Now, he can counter attack, since only shots with power are of any use against Igawaki. His weakness seems to be power shots, which means that Takahiro can only use smashes against him if he wants to clinch the match."

"But even consecutive smashes can take up a lot of stamina," said Kevin with a frown, and Rika nodded, having had prior experience of that due to her training with her Cyclone Smash just before the finals of the Kantou tournament the previous year. "Takahiro wouldn't be able to last for long if he kept using consecutive smashes, especially for a move like the Rondo Towards Destruction which takes up quite a lot of stamina and power to use in the first place."

**XXXXXX**

"Game! Seigaku's Igawaki! 5-5!"

Takahiro growled to himself as he looked over his shoulder at the shot that had landed at the baseline, before turning his attention back towards his opponent. Takahiro knew that he can't keep this up for long as well, as his consecutive uses of smashes had been extremely draining on his stamina.

"There's no helping it." Takahiro muttered, pushing a lock of sweaty hair out of his eyes, and turning around to face Haruse who frowned at him. "I didn't want to use this if at all possible, as it uses up a hell lot of stamina, and not to mention that I can't fully control it yet. But against someone like you as my opponent, I have no choice but to use it."

He then closed his eyes, and the next moment, a strange aura then surrounded him.

Haruse narrowed his eyes when he saw this. "Muga no Kyouchi?" he muttered.

**XXXXXX**

"Game and match! Game won by Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Tanaka Takahiro! Seven games to five!"

Takahiro stood on the courts, being bent over on his knees as the aura of the Muga no Kyouchi diminished slowly before vanishing completely, his sweat dripping down onto the ground around his feet, creating quite a puddle. He wasn't kidding when he said that he can't control the Muga no Kyouchi completely yet. It made him wonder how the hell did Rika managed to get it under control in just a few months during her freshman year in middle school.

The cheers that erupted from the cheerleading team as well as the tennis team of Rikkaidai Fuzoku nearly tore through the roof, and the cheers from the cheerleading team actually got louder at that, if it is even possible.

Haruse sighed to himself in resignation as he approached the net the same time that Takahiro did, offering his hand out for the usual customary after match handshake, grasping Takahiro's hand in a firm handshake.

"I lost," said Haruse simply. "Fair and square. I was right about you. You would have beaten me back during the finals of the Kantou tournament if you were in tip-top condition." He smiled at Takahiro. "You're indeed strong. Looks like Seigaku would need to get a whole lot stronger than we are now if they still have to deal with you next year. Our buchou along with the two other sophomores that we have as regulars are pretty strong, but their strength isn't all that's needed in a tennis team."

"Well, I am never one to overestimate my own ability, but I did say that I wouldn't lose to the same person twice," said Takahiro, closing his eyes briefly before opening them again. "But the outcome is a close one though. You would have won if I hadn't at least gained some control over the Muga no Kyouchi."

Haruse chuckled lightly. "As polite as always, Tanaka."

Takahiro smirked before releasing his grasp on Haruse's hand and turning and walking back towards the bleachers. Haruse looked down at his right hand only to see that it is still shaking, and he then looked at Takahiro before smirking. _'That guy… He is indeed strong. He's interesting.'_

**

* * *

**

Takahiro almost collapsed onto the bleachers of Rikkaidai the moment that he had reached his team, and the twins were quick to bring Takahiro his water dispenser and a wet towel before he collapsed from exhaustion, especially because of the long match that he had earlier, and then his usage of the Muga no Kyouchi.

"Good work, Takahiro," said Kirihara with a nod as Takahiro had the towel placed over his head to cool him down, with Hikaru fanning Takahiro with a book of some sort that he had taken from out of nowhere. "I do think that you could have ended the match earlier, but still, good work."

"Shut up." Takahiro hissed through pants as he fought hard to gain his breath back. "I'll like to see _you_ play against that guy. He's difficult enough to play against once, but to play against him again? I never want to play against him again in my life."

All of Rikkaidai chuckled to themselves with amusement and exchanged looks.

"_We will now commence the next match of doubles two for the finals of the National tournament! Kanagawa's Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Fuuma Hikari and Fuuma Hikaru versus Tokyo's Seishun Gakuen's Kaidoh Kaoru and Momoshiro Takeshi! All players, to the court!"_

The twins grinned and exchanged looks with each other when they heard the announcement. Hikari silently unzipped his jacket before tossing it onto the bench and removing his racquet from his bag, with Hikaru mimicking his actions.

Hikari then stretched slightly, hearing his bones pop slightly before cricking his neck. "Well then…" he said, resting the frame of his racquet against his shoulder. "Looks like we're up next."

* * *

_**Upcoming Stories:**_

_**Will of Fire and Wind (Naruto)**_

_AU FemNaru. After the Kyuubi attack, the Kazekage of Sunagakure arrived at Konoha in order to bring back his niece with him back to his village rather than allow her to remain in Konoha. Watch how the holder of the elemental spirits' contract changes the world. Gaara/FemNaru_

_**Silence, the Loudest Sound (Prince of Tennis)**_

_All of Rikkaidai Fuzoku, the boys' tennis team especially were excited when they heard that the famous Princess of Tennis would be coming to their school and joining the boys' tennis team after having disappeared from the professional tennis scene for six months. But what Rikkaidai and everyone didn't know is that the Princess of Tennis can't speak. FemRyo_

_**The Ice Princess of Rikkaidai: Life in America (Prince of Tennis)**_

_Prequel of TIPoR. Ever wondered what Echizen Rika's life in America is like prior to Rikkaidai? Join the crazy adventures of the St. Andrew's tennis team, and learn just why the team loves their vice-captain so much._


	58. Rematch? Match of Vendetta!

**Warnings: **AU Universe. Gender switch. Non-canon. OCs.

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Fifty Eight: Rematch? Match of Vendetta!**

"_Always win, Rikkaidai!"_

"_Let's go! Let's go! Rikkaidai!"_

With the first victory clinched by Rikkaidai, the cheers and screams from the cheerleaders as well as the students from Rikkaidai Fuzoku were nearly deafening, and sounded as if it would take the roof off.

Much to the amusement of the Rikkaidai's regulars, Takahiro had almost immediately passed out on the bleachers, snoring gently. Rika seemed quite amused as well, but she understood why Takahiro had almost immediately passed out after his match. This had been his first time using the Muga no Kyouchi, and even if it isn't, using the Muga no Kyouchi takes up a great deal of stamina, and they would usually pass out not long after the match had ended once the adrenaline had ended.

Rika glanced at the electronic scoreboard where the previous words of _'Seishun Gakuen, Igawaki Haruse = 5 | Rikkaidai Fuzoku, Tanaka Takahiro = 7' _soon disappeared, only to be replaced by _'Seishun Gakuen, Momoshiro Takeshi, Kaidoh Kaoru | Rikkaidai Fuzoku, Fuuma Hikari, Fuuma Hikaru'._

The dark haired girl then glanced down at the twins from her place on the bleachers where the two were currently listening to some last minute advice from Kirihara who is bench coach as usual. The twins have identical grins on their faces, even Hikari who rarely smiles as it is. Rika sighed, and clasped one hand to her forehead. If she knew the twins as well as she knew them – and trust me, she _knew _all her regulars like the back of her hand – then she had a feeling that the twins are going to pull something in this match.

Shuu sighed. "I hope that the twins won't be too overconfident in this match," he muttered, tapping the spine of his notebook against the side of his head. "Their opponents are one of Seigaku's top players after all, second only to Shinderui. You can't underestimate them."

"They should be alright." Haruki tried to reassure Shuu. "They're not idiots, and Hikari tends to keep quite a cool head even in the tightest situation. They should be all right. I hope." He added as an afterthought.

Shuu almost groaned. "Hearing you say that makes me feel _more _worried," he sighed.

"Shh!" Kevin hushed them, turning his attention back towards the tennis courts where the four players were all standing at the net, ready to exchange the standard customary greeting before a match. "The match is starting."

**XXXXXX**

Hikari grasped Kaidoh's hand in a quick handshake before releasing. He then sighed as he looked at the two older and taller players in front of him and his twin. "Does our Eight Characters clash with yours or something?" He wanted to know, raising one brow at the two Seigaku players, the frame of his racquet resting against his shoulder. "Why do we always end up facing against you _every single damn time whenever we end up facing Seigaku?" _He then frowned. "No wait. Scratch that. _Why_ do we always end up facing against you guys in the finals of _every single tournament _that we have entered so far?"

Momoshiro rolled his eyes. "Do not ask me," he said, irritated. "I want to know the same thing as well. I never wanted to play against you both ever again."

Hikaru grinned. "Well, too bad for you," he said. "Let's have a good match."

Kaidoh nodded solemnly. "Let's have a good match," he echoed Hikaru's words.

"And like before," said Hikaru, grinning as he turned to look over his shoulder, ready to head to his position on the court, and Kaidoh and Momoshiro both raised a brow, "if you want us to remove our power weights…" He smirked at the two older players. "…make us remove it."

Hikari smiled a small smile. "Let's have a good match," he said solemnly. "Let's play."

"_The National tournament finals of doubles two, Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Fuuma Hikari and Fuuma Hikaru pair versus Seishun Gakuen's Momoshiro Takeshi and Kaidoh Kaoru will begin now."_

**XXXXXX**

"It's finally beginning," said Atobe Keigo with a smirk. "I wonder how this déjà vu match between the Fuuma twins of Rikkaidai and the two old rivals of Seigaku will go this time around?"

Oshitari Yuushi smirked before pushing his glasses up his nose. "Well, tennis matches are always unpredictable," he pointed out. "Let's see how it turns out this time around."

**XXXXXX**

"_One set match! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Fuuma Hikari to serve!"_

Hikari bounced the tennis ball against the tennis courts repeatedly before looking up and glancing at his surroundings. The cheers of the Rikkaidai side were dying down some, something that he is thankful for, as the loud cheers are _damn distracting! _Every single pair of eyes in the courts was on him, and he smiled to himself.

"Well then…" he muttered to himself. "Let's go…"

He then threw the ball up in the air, and as the yellow tennis ball was still in mid-air, he allowed his racquet to drop further down in his grasp, holding the handle of the racquet just a little below the racquet head. Kaidoh who was standing closer to the net frowned when he saw this. The ball then fell down to Hikari's height, and he then served.

Momoshiro and Kaidoh's eyes widened in shock simultaneously, along with every other, as they only caught a flash of something yellow land in the courts before flashing past them, creating a slight graze on Kaidoh's cheek as it did so.

"W-What the…?" Momoshiro turned only to see the yellow ball rolling away from the back of the court.

"_15-love!"_

Hikari smirked.

"Sonic Serve?" Kaidoh muttered as Momoshiro approached him. "No… We can still see it." Upon seeing Momoshiro's confused look, he then proceeded to explain. "Remember? Back during the Kantou finals, when Hikaru was impersonating his twin, he hit a Sonic Serve as well. But the only difference for this serve between the two is that we can still see the path of Hikaru's serve, but we _couldn't _see Hikari's. The ball was already in the court even before we knew it."

Momoshiro frowned. "You're saying…" he trailed off, and Kaidoh nodded, glancing at the twins opposite them.

"I think that they're pulling the same trick as before again." Kaidoh explained. "But I can't be sure. The only way that we can tell them apart is by that serve. Kayama explained it to us as well. As they are twins, even their tennis play styles are pretty similar, with only very subtle differences that probably, only their teammates could tell apart. We _aren't_ their teammates, and thus, we can't. We can only depend on that Sonic Serve to tell them both apart."

Momoshiro frowned but nodded. "Okay."

**

* * *

**

"_Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Fuuma-Fuuma pair! Three games all!"_

Kaidoh frowned as he looked from Hikari to Hikaru and back again, or is it Hikaru and Hikari? The poor vice-captain of Seigaku's tennis team doesn't know anymore. He is only about sixty percent sure that the twins are pulling the same trick that they've pulled months previous during the Kantou finals, with the shock and surprise of that revelation causing them to lose the match.

Ryuuzaki Sumire sighed as she glared down at her two players, who were both sitting on the bench to quench their thirst as the referee called for half time, her hands planted on her hips. Ryoga wasn't saying anything, but was glancing over at Rikkaidai's side where Rika and Kirihara were conversing with the Fuuma twins, with the twins nodding every now and then to what their captain and vice-captain were saying. Shinderui Shiki, meanwhile, was looking at his two sempais aka players with an annoyed look on his face.

"What are the two of you doing?" Ryuuzaki demanded, annoyed. "Are you going to continue dancing to your opponents' pace?"

Momoshiro glared at his coach. "Can we even help it?" he demanded. "We don't even know if they're really who they are claiming to be!"

Ryoga sighed. "Even if they _are _pulling the same trick, so what?" he asked tiredly, and the two players turned towards him with surprise. "Does it change anything?"

"W-Well…not really…" Kaidoh muttered.

"Exactly," said Shiki with a frustrated sigh. "This is still a tennis match, and your opponents are still those two. You are both power players. As for the Fuuma twins… One of them is a power player whilst the other is a speed player. You both have to coordinate your moves together to even stand a chance against them. And you both have played against them before. Therefore, you should know their individual moves and weaknesses by now. Go out there and win!"

**

* * *

**

"I got it!" Hikaru shouted, reaching the ball and returning it via a short cross. His eyes then widened when he saw Kaidoh already at the receiving area of the ball, a determined and half-scary look on his face as he hissed rather like a deflating balloon.

The snake-like player hissed fiercely before getting into a strange stance, and Hikari who was at the baseline, widened his eyes in shock. "Hikaru, get away! That's Short Snake!"

"Short what—" Hikaru barely managed to dodge out of the way as Kaidoh returned his ball with a Short Snake, just missing his cheek by a few inches. As it is, his racquet was knocked out of his hand instead, causing the teen to cradle his wrist.

"_Game! Seishun Gakuen's Momoshiro-Kaidoh pair! Four games all!"_

Hikaru frowned at Kaidoh as Hikari approached him, clamping one hand down on his shoulder, a slight frown on his face as he stared at a smirking Kaidoh as well. "You're playing around too much, Hikaru." Hikari stated quietly.

**

* * *

**

Rika frowned from her place on the bleachers, her fingers curled before her mouth. "This doesn't look good," she said grimly, and all Rikkaidai players turned towards her, even Takahiro who had woken up a little while ago. "It doesn't look it now, but the match is slowly tilting in Seigaku's favour." She frowned. "If the twins don't find a way to overcome this…" Her lips tilted into a grim smile. "They're going to lose."

**XXXXXX**

Takahiro's eyes widened from his spot, and he gripped onto the arm of the unfortunate person sitting next to him, who fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how one tends to look at it, turns out to be Kevin.

Kevin winced as his blood circulation was nearly cut off at Takahiro's strong grip. The Chessmaster isn't known as one of Rikkaidai's top players for nothing after all. He is probably second only to Rika, and on Haruki and Kevin's level easily. And thus, he had a pretty strong grip.

"Hikaru, get out of the way!" Takahiro shouted, and everyone at the Rikkaidai's bleachers turned and stared at him like he had suddenly grown two new heads. Since _when _did Takahiro shout? He never does. "Do _not _receive that ball! You'll break your wrist! That's Boomerang Hadoukyuu!"

On the courts, Hikaru, along with nearly every other heard Takahiro's shout, and he turned his head just in time only to see a Boomerang Hadoukyuu making its way straight towards his face. His eyes widened in shock, and he barely managed to dodge the shot in time. No one noticed Kaidoh's eyes glint at that.

"I'll take it!" Hikari stated, rushing to the baseline in record time as the ball reached him, and impacted together with his racquet. Hikari winced at the power packed behind that shot, before holding his racquet with both hands, and he then returned the ball.

The tennis ball hit the net before landing as a drop shot just over the net, claiming one point to Rikkaidai.

"_15-30!"_

Kaidoh frowned. He can be sure now.

"Oi, Mamushi?"

"I'm about ninety five percent certain now," said the snake-like player, hissing as he did so. "They're indeed pulling the same trick as before."

Momoshiro grinned. "Then that makes things easy for us now."

Kaidoh smirked. "You got that right."

**XXXXXX**

Rika sighed before turning towards Kevin who didn't seem to even blink as he watched the ongoing match. The twins were getting thrashed, and even though Rika wanted to speak up for them, she knew that it is mostly due to the fact that the twins have underestimated Kaidoh and Momoshiro because of the fact that they have beaten them both before.

The dark haired girl sighed to herself, muttering something beneath her breath. For a tennis player, the one thing that usually lead to them losing is either overconfidence or surprise. Last time, Seigaku fell to the latter, but this time, the twins fell to the former.

"Kevin, get ready for your match," said Rika, and Kevin glanced at her in surprise. "The twins will lose this. You're up next against Kenneth."

Over at Seigaku's bleachers, Kenneth was also getting ready for his match, judging by the fact that he was doing some quick warm-ups.

"Dear me…" Rika muttered something incoherent beneath her breath. "I _did _tell them not to be too overconfident."

**XXXXXX**

"Kaidoh, that ball will be out!" Momoshiro shouted to Kaidoh, with all four players sweating buckets by now.

Kaidoh paused in mid-step as he was about to receive the shot, and sure enough, the ball ended up outside the courts.

"_Game and match! Game won by Seishun Gakuen's Momoshiro-Kaidoh pair! Six games to four!"_

**

* * *

**

Hikari sighed as he grasped Kaidoh's hand in a quick handshake, his racquet tucked beneath his arm. "This time, I admit our defeat," he stated, taking it with grace. "You both are really strong."

Hikaru nodded, agreeing with his twin. "We only have ourselves to blame for our defeat. The fukubuchou did warn us not to underestimate you both," he said. "And we did."

Momoshiro grinned at them. "Well, we kind of figured out, or rather, Mamushi figured out that you both have pulled the same trick that you did the last time," he stated, and the twins blinked owlishly. "Sorry about this, but the same trick don't work on us twice."

The twins exchanged confused looks before turning back towards Kaidoh and Momoshiro. "What are you both talking about?" Hikari asked in confusion. "We _didn't_ impersonate each other this time around. We usually only pulled that trick against a strong doubles pair whom we haven't played against before. We knew that if it were a pair that we have played against before, they would probably be able to tell the differences in our play styles. If they could tell us apart, then that defeats the whole purpose of us impersonating each other."

Momoshiro gaped and Kaidoh blanched. "You mean… You both didn't switch at all?" Kaidoh barely managed to get his words out.

The twins nodded solemnly, and Hikaru laughed, his laughter sounding like tinkling bells to all those listening. "Interesting," he said, his lips pulling at the edges at the Seigaku pair's confused looks. "You both could still win even without managing to tell us apart. Talk about ironic." He smiled. "You're both really strong. If given another chance, I would really want to play against you both again. Too bad that you're both graduating at the end of the year though."

Momoshiro nearly groaned. "Spare me," he nearly whined. "I never want to play against you both again. You're both even more troublesome to handle than your sempais from last year."

Hikari smiled slightly. "But still, nice game," he said, before releasing Kaidoh's hand. "Let's play again once we have the chance." He looked teasingly at Momoshiro as he said this who nearly groaned, and his twin laughed.

**XXXXXX**

"Sorry, buchou." Hikaru apologised as they headed back to Rikkaidai's bleachers. "We lost."

Kirihara sighed. "Well, I kind of expected this," he said. "Even Rikkaidai do lose matches during the Nationals, believe it or not. We _are_ facing Japan's top schools in this tournament after all. Though I do believe that Rika did tell you both not to underestimate your opponents." The twins looked embarrassed at that. "Well, what's done is done. Just do better next time. We have a five minute intermission before the next match will begin."

"That's right! It's Kevin next, isn't it?" Hikari questioned, and Kirihara nodded. Hikari then smirked. "Well, this is going to be one interesting match." He stated. "None of us managed to view his match first-hand sans for Ryou during the Kantou finals. This will be an eye-opener."

Kirihara and Hikaru said nothing, but they both agreed with Hikari. As one, the three then turned towards Rikkaidai's bleachers only to see Kevin silently removing his jacket before removing his racquet from his bag.

"_We will now commence the next match of singles two for the finals of the National tournament! Kanagawa's Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Kevin Smith versus Tokyo's Seishun Gakuen's Kenneth Smith! Both players, to the court!"_

Kevin stretched before letting out a sigh of satisfaction as he heard some bones pop before he grinned, resting his racquet against his shoulder.

"Well, isn't this just like déjà vu?" he stated. "It is almost like a repeat of our match during the Kantou finals." Kevin grinned. "Let's go. The dice is ready to be cast."

* * *

_A/N: Sorry for this shorter than usual chapter, but seriously, I'm running out of ideas for tennis matches. Anyway, there will be about another five or six chapters before this story will be completed. But before you lot come crying to me, fear not, there will be a new Prince of Tennis story up after this one is completed. The one that all of you wanted me to post: Silence, the Loudest Sound. And I'll appreciate some ideas for that. As for pairing, it is a three-way competition between these three:_

_Shiraishi Kuranosuke (Shitenjouji)_

_Oshitari Yuushi_

_Yagyuu Hiroshi_

_Vote and tell me what you think. Anyway, I hope that you like this chapter, and please read and review!_


	59. Rematch? Showdown at the Top!

**Warnings: **AU Universe. Gender switch. Non-canon. OCs.

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

* * *

**Chapter Fifty Nine: Rematch? Showdown at the Top!**

"Well, I must admit, that is a pretty amusing way to win a match." Rika was still laughing ten minutes after the match was concluded.

Singles two was a close one, with both Kevin and Kenneth drawing their match to a long tiebreak until Kenneth clinched that win, ending their tiebreak at a 58-56. Doubles one was Haruki and Kirihara as a doubles pair, against Kachiro and Katsuo of Seigaku.

The Seigaku pair did quite well against them, until one of them mistakenly thought that Kirihara had entered Devil Kirihara mode, and promptly forfeited, much to Rikkaidai's disbelief.

Kirihara merely grunted as he returned to his place as bench coach, not feeling all that happy how his final match in middle school had turned out to be.

"Two wins and two losses." Shuu muttered, looking up at the electronic scoreboard that detailed all the matches' outcomes for both Seigaku and Rikkaidai. "The next match will determine the champion."

As one, every single pair of eyes in the Rikkaidai's bleachers turned towards Rika who is examining her racquet strings, promptly ignoring everyone around her.

**XXXXXX**

"_Always go, Rikkaidai!"_

"_Let's go! Let's go! Rikkaidai!"_

"Their cheerleading squad is as impressive as always," said Ryoga, looking over at Rikkaidai's side with interest. Rikkaidai's cheerleading squad are all out in full force, screaming at the top of their lungs.

"Just which side are you on, Ryoga-san?" Tomoka snapped.

"Sorry, guys!" Kachiro apologised fervently, bowing repeatedly to his teammates. "I didn't mean to forfeit! It's just…"

Shiki sighed. "Like I'm saying, it's alright!" he snapped. "It's over now anyway.

"Two wins and two losses, huh?" Kayama Shuuri muttered, looking up at the electronic scoreboard, his mouth twisted in a grim line. "The next match decides which school will emerge as champion."

"It's alright!" Some random player exclaimed. "Next is Shinderui-buchou! He'll win for sure!"

Kenneth resisted the urge to palm his face, but Haruse had no such qualms as he turned and glared at the speaker. "Did you have your eyes shut during last year's Nationals?" he snapped. "It won't be as easy as you think!"

Kaidoh grunted as he watched Shiki stood in front of Ryuzaki, listening to some last minute advice. "Unfortunately, he's right," said the vice-captain with a grunt. "Shinderui's opponent is Rikkaidai's top player. Their fukubuchou is also Japan's number one player, Echizen Rika! They were both unable to participate in this year's Kantou finals because of that car accident, but now that they are both in tip-top condition…" He trailed off before coughing into his hand. "She defeated Shinderui in last year's Nationals, and is said to be on the same level of their former captain – Yukimura Seiichi."

"Not only that." Momoshiro added, turning to face their kouhais. "Shinderui had played against that girl more times than one could count, and he had never won against her once." He smiled grimly. "This match won't be as easy as you think."

**XXXXXX**

"Another match, huh?" Rika sighed, her racquet tucked beneath one arm. She pushed a lock of dark hair out of her eyes and sighed at Shiki's grinning face. "Wipe that smirk off your face, Shiki. I won't be going easy on you just because of your help back then."

"Of course," said Shiki with a grin. "Don't go easy on me. I won't as well. I have some new moves that I want to try out anyway."

Rika raised a brow. "Well then, I look forward to it," she said before placing the head of her racquet on the ground. "Which?"

"Rough." Shiki called out as Rika spun her racquet before it fell on the smooth side. "Damn."

Rika sighed as she picked up her racquet. "May the best man win," she said, turning around to head to her service spot on the courts. "Service."

Shiki nodded. "Yeah," he said, turning around as well to head to his receiving spot. "End."

**

* * *

**

Over at Rikkaidai's bleachers, Seika cocked her head to one side in confusion. "They're both…smiling?" she questioned. "Do they know each other?"

"Hmm?" Kevin turned to look at the freshman. "Oh. Yeah. They're good friends in a way, and rivals as well. Each time Rikkaidai and Seigaku ends up facing each other, they both always end up playing against each other. But no matter how many times Shiki had played against Rika, he had never won once."

"_Beginning now, the National tournament of singles one. Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Echizen Rika versus Seishun Gakuen's Shinderui Shiki. One set match! Rikkaidai's Echizen to serve!"_

**

* * *

**

"It's finally here." Sanada stated grimly, arms akimbo. "Now we shall see just how far both schools have came along in just one year."

**XXXXXX**

"You should know that the Twist Serve can no longer work on me, Rika!" Shiki called out as he received the Twist Serve and returned it. His eyes then widened when he saw Rika leaping into the air to receive the serve before smashing the ball so quickly that before he could even fathom what is going on, the ball is already in his courts.

"_Game! Rikkaidai's Echizen! 2-0!"_

Shiki turned his head slowly to look at the ball that is rolling slowly away to the back of the court. _'T-That is…' _he gulped and turned to look at Rika. _'Earlier, that is…'_

Rika smiled, tapping her racquet against her shoulder, and it is only now that Shiki realised that she is still playing right handed. "Should we stop with the warm-ups and get serious now?" she enquired.

Shiki smirked and shrugged. "Just like you, Rika," he said. "You never change. But I agree." He nodded. "We should get serious. Let's give the audience a good show." As one, they then both switched their racquets to their left hands.

In the audience, the spectators from the public went wide-eyed at this proclamation. _That_ was a warm up for those two? They seriously have to get their training where these guys went…

'_That earlier…' _Shiki frowned. "Looks like I don't have a choice here." He closed his eyes and an aura then surrounded him, and Rika frowned. The silver haired boy then pointed his racquet at Rika. "Should we get the show underway then?"

Rika frowned. "Muga no Kyouchi?"

Shiki smirked at Rika. "Here I go," he said before throwing the ball up into the air, and serving.

The ball hit the ground on Rika's side, and as she stood ready to receive the ball, her eyes widened as the ball spun furiously. _'What the…? Twister Serve?' _

Rika barely managed to twist her body in time to avoid the ball as it shot skywards and struck the light post just a few meters behind Rika. The light post actually comically had a dent in it afterwards.

**

* * *

**

Hikari went wide-eyed at this. "You…can't be serious…" he choked.

Next to him, his twin is in the same state that he is, if not more. "What strength and power…" Hikaru muttered. "What kind of monster is that guy to be able to achieve something like that?"

**

* * *

**

"Dear me… Looks like I really can't take you lightly after all, Shiki," said Rika with a shake of her head. "Give me your best then."

Shiki smirked before he served again, and Momoshiro and Kaidoh recognised that shot at once – having seen it only once the previous year.

"Big Bang?" Momoshiro uttered.

"Seems like it had more power packed in it than before." Kaidoh supplied. "Shinderui used to be a speed type player. But looks like he is focusing more on power now."

Rika frowned as she grabbed her racquet with both hands before returning it simply to Shiki's court. "You may have power, but it's far too simple."

Shiki frowned before returning his ball via a cross shot, and his eyes widened when he saw that Rika is already standing where the ball is about to fly towards, and he narrowed his eyes. _'I forgot. She plays that style of annoying tennis – analyzing tennis. It's almost like she can see where I'm going. She's one annoying opponent, and also the reason why I had never been able to beat her once.'_

Shiki then raced towards the ball as Rika returned the shot to him, returning it via a Drive A, increasing the speed and power of that shot. Much to his frustration, Rika had already seen through the path of the ball, and was already waiting for it.

"That is all that you've got?" Rika taunted before she returned the ball faster than Shiki had expected, claiming one point.

**

* * *

**

Yanagi smiled to himself. "She's gotten stronger," he commented to his teammates, all who nodded in agreement. "Seems like it wasn't a mistake leaving Rikkaidai to her and Akaya."

Marui snorted. "I think that it is maybe Rika who is running the entire show," he said. "You know how Akaya is."

Yagyuu smiled, adjusting his glasses, whilst both Niou and Sanada looked as if they wanted to kick Shiki off the courts and replace him.

Kirihara Akira grinned. "It'll be interesting to see her in high school two years from now," he grinned. "No one will be able to so much as touch her in tennis then."

Himura Haruka, his vice-captain snorted in amusement. "Buchou, you wouldn't even be in high school by then," he pointed out.

Yukimura smiled at that.

**XXXXXX**

"_Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Echizen! Three games all!"_

Rika looked at Shiki with some disappointment on her face. "Shiki, I _hope _that you're only playing around," she said with a sigh. "You don't seriously think that you can beat me with moves like that, do you?"

"Impossible… My…Nitouryuu…"

**

* * *

**

"Shinderui's Nitouryuu…" Igawaki Haruse narrowed his eyes. "It's been defeated? Impossible!"

Kenneth sighed. "No. Tennis like that won't work against her."

**

* * *

**

"Oh please!" Rika almost groaned. "Who do you think even taught you Nitouryuu? Do you seriously think that you can beat me with a style of tennis that I knew inside out?"

**

* * *

**

Over at Rikkaidai, Kevin was shaking his head.

"This is really like a repeat of last year," he said, and Haruki was nodding. "It definitely seems like Seigaku and Rikkaidai are really fated to clash with each other, no matter what."

**

* * *

**

"I really didn't want to use this against you, but I don't have a choice here." Shiki whispered. "As always, you are the only one who can push me to my limits. Not even Tezuka-buchou can push me this far." He closed his eyes, and Rika narrowed her eyes. "The final door." He whispered under his breath. _"Open."_

An explosion of aura exploded from his body, causing Rika to shield her eyes momentarily, and when the light had cleared, Rika narrowed her eyes. "Teni Muhou no Kiwaimi, huh?" she muttered. "Very well. Let's see what you've got."

She narrowed her eyes as she saw Shiki walking towards the receiving area of his court just then, and her eyes then widened as a ball bumped into her foot, and looked down only to see the tennis ball rolling away from her. A dark mark just a few meters away on the court told her what had happened, and her eyes widened. _'W-What the hell? When did he…?'_

The referee was rendered speechless as well before he called out the score in a shaky voice. "F-Fifteen all!"

**XXXXXX**

"_Game! Seishun Gakuen's Shinderui! Five games to four!"_

"This must be some kind of joke…" Rika muttered, pushing a lock of sweaty hair out of her eyes. "To push _me _this far…" She glanced at Shiki whose aura from the third door hasn't diminished in the slightest. _'But it's impressive… To be able to last this long whilst using the third door. I couldn't last longer than fifteen minutes with the third door. That's why I never use it in matches until the climax if I absolutely have to use it.'_

Rika then bounced the ball on the courts before throwing it up into the air and serving. The moment that her racquet impacted with the ball, she closed her eyes, focusing on nothing but just hearing the sound of the ball.

That is one thing that helps her in her tennis skill – she had remarkably sharp hearing. Her hearing is better than most, and that is another reason why her analyzing tennis style gave her opponents so many problems. Rika not only uses her ability to see the habits of her opponents. She uses her hearing to determine where the ball is going to go. With Shiki using the third door, she has no choice but to use her hearing if she even wants to stand a chance at returning all his shots.

**

* * *

**

"I've never seen the fukubuchou pushed this far before." Hikari muttered, his eyes wide. "That Shinderui guy… I hate to admit it, but he's good."

"Yeah." Takahiro muttered. His eyes then widened as he managed to catch sight of the ball, though his eyes were hurting tremendously. "Rika! Duck!"

**

* * *

**

An explosion of pain greeted Rika in the head the moment she headed to the receiving spot where she had determined the ball is going to head to, and she is only vaguely aware of darkness overtaking her momentarily as she fell onto her hands and knees, one hand holding onto her head.

The next thing that she knew, she heard a babble of voices above her, all shouting above one another, and giving her an even worse headache than the one that she is currently suffering from. She could barely hear them though, as the voices sounded as if they were being muffled by something.

"Hey, is she alright?"

"Shinderui! Why didn't you watch where you're hitting? Or better yet, control your strength a little! I'm surprised that she didn't break her skull!"

"Hey, it's not my fault!"

Then the voices sounded clearer, almost like someone had just cleaned out her ears, and she felt a hand on her arm, and someone speaking next to her ear.

"…ka? Rika? Can you hear me?"

Rika cracked one eye opened only to see the concerned eyes of Kevin, the rest of her team crowding around her, concern etched on their faces. "Kevin?"

Kevin breathed a sigh of relief. He then held three fingers in front of her face, waving them to and fro. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

Rika growled as she swatted his hand away from her face. "Three. Now stop with that!" she snapped.

"Seems like she's just fine." Kevin announced to the rest of the worried Rikkaidai team over his shoulder, all who breathed sighs of relief. Over at the bleachers, Rika can see Seika and Yurika holding onto each other with fright and terror visible on their faces, and that Sanada is grabbing onto Yukimura so that he doesn't leap into the courts then and there.

"Now can the rest of you please head back to the bleachers? We still have a match here." Rika made shooing motions with her hands as she shooed her team back, grabbing her racquet that Takahiro had handed to her.

The referee frowned as he approached her. "Are you sure that you can still continue?" he enquired, and Rika nodded. The referee sighed; he probably had some experience in the past with stubborn tennis players who don't know when to quit, and knew that it's meaningless to argue with Rika. "Alright."

"_The game will commence! 0-30! Seishun Gakuen's Shinderui leads!"_

Rika held onto the side of her head with her right hand, shaking her head every now and then to clear her vision. Shinderui sure could pack some power in his shots despite his small size. This isn't looking good. She can't even see properly now.

**

* * *

**

"Oi… Is the fukubuchou really going to be alright?" Ryou asked, turning towards his teammates, miraculously awake for once. "She doesn't look too good."

"Rika wouldn't let us stop the match even if she isn't feeling alright." Kevin bit on his bottom lip. "You know how she is. And you know how important that this match is to her…and us."

"Buchou will stop the match if it really looks like she couldn't continue." Haruki tried to reassure his teammates.

Kevin frowned. "Yeah. Maybe."

**

* * *

**

"I have no other choice. I was saving this to use against my old man. It seems like you'll have the honour to face this new technique of mine." Rika muttered as she let the ball rest in the palm of her right hand, shaking her head every now and then to clear her vision. Across the courts, Shiki frowned. "The third door." She muttered beneath her breath. _"Open."_

Just like with Shiki, an explosion of aura exploded from Rika. Yet unlike the silver haired teen, the aura surrounding Rika is more controlled and tamer, as compared to Shiki's wild and untamed aura.

**

* * *

**

"T-That is…" Niou muttered, eyes narrowing. "If I'm not mistaken, that is what she used earlier against Shinderui." Seeing his friends' enquiring looks, he elaborated. _"Control. _She has complete control over the third door, the speed and movement of her shots, etc. Unlike Shinderui's third door, Rika has complete control over hers."

**

* * *

**

Shiki frowned as he readied himself. "Give me your best, Rika," he muttered.

His eyes then widened when he saw Rika walking away from him, her back facing him. His eyes then widened when he heard the tell-tale signs of the ball rolling away towards the back of the court, and looked only to see the ball rolling away slowly.

"W-What the hell?" Shiki gasped. While he didn't have Rika's ears, his hearing is still good enough to catch the sound of tennis balls. He never sensed or heard anything at all!

"Referee, aren't you going to call?" Rika asked, keeping her eyes on the ground to lessen her headache as she gripped the ball in her right hand.

The referee blinked before he realised that Rika was speaking to him before he called to the person manning the cameras. "Er… Monitor! Get a close-up!" The monitor did so, and everyone in the stands saw the shot in slow motion of Rika serving, and the ball entering the courts. "It's in… 15-30!"

**

* * *

**

"A shot without sound, and so fast that you can't even see it…" Kevin muttered before a smile broke across his face. "Rika. Since when did you…?"

**

* * *

**

"A shot without sound and with high speed, huh?" Niou grinned to himself. "Nice one, Rika. Not even Shinderui or someone who plays analyzing tennis can do anything against a move like that."

"Accel Return." Yukimura said suddenly, and his friends turned towards him. The blue haired teen smiled. "It suits that shot down to a T. Accel Return."

**

* * *

**

"_Game! Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Echizen! Six games to five!"_

"One more game…!" Kirihara muttered. "Come on, Rika! Finish it as soon as you can!"

"Can the fukubuchou last until the end?" Hikaru asked Kevin, worried. "She doesn't look too good."

"Opening the third door had helped her condition somewhat." Takahiro muttered, lacing his fingers before his mouth. "It's probably best if she can finish this match as soon as she can."

**

* * *

**

"_30-0!"_

"This is getting ridiculous…" Momoshiro uttered, his eyes wide at seeing Shiki helpless against the shot. "No shot couldn't be returned! That…Accel Return or whatever. Even Shinderui—"

"It isn't that easy, peach brain!" Kaidoh snapped. "We tennis players return our opponents' shots by utilising _two_ things!" He held up two fingers as he spoke, ignoring the fact that everyone in Seigaku were listening intently to him, and even those in nearby bleachers. "Sight and Sound. We used our sight to _see_ the ball, and the sound to _hear _the shot. But that Echizen had disabled those two senses by using Accel Return – a shot with no sound and so fast that we can't even see it! Before we even knew it, it is already in the courts! Even the monitor couldn't catch the shot until it hits the ground! _That's _how fast it is!"

Kayama Shuuri nodded in agreement. "As long as Shinderui can't see or hear the shot, he won't be able to return it," he added. "And that isn't good. Out of all of us, Shinderui depends on his hearing and sight the most. With these two disabled, he won't be able to so much as touch it."

**XXXXXX**

Rika panted heavily, the auras from both players on the courts not diminishing in the slightest, and her migraine is causing her to feel like there are jackhammers hammering at her brains.

"This…is the last ball, Shiki," she said, holding the ball in a shaking right hand. On the other side of the court, Shiki was panting heavily as well. With the third door opened as long as it did, it is taking a toll on Shiki's stamina and strength.

Rika threw the ball up in the air, and like before, there wasn't even a peep to be heard as her racquet impacted with the ball. Almost like in slow motion, Shiki's eyes caught the movement of the net between them before instinct caused him to run towards his right side, and his racquet impacted with the ball.

The eyes of everyone present widened at that movement.

**

* * *

**

"He caught the ball!" Kevin gasped.

"Impossible!"

**

* * *

**

Shiki gritted his teeth as he grabbed onto his racquet with both hands. _'What power! I can see why they named it Accel Return! But I won't lose!'_

The next moment however, Shiki felt himself losing his hold on his racquet as it went flying out of his hands and hit the wall behind him, with the ball rolling away from his foot. The silver haired teen panted and retrieved his racquet only to have his eye twitching when he saw a large hole in the middle of his racquet. All the wires of his racquet were practically forced out of the racquet itself.

"What…the…hell?"

**

* * *

**

"_Game and match! Game won by Rikkaidai Fuzoku's Echizen! Seven games to five!"_

It was like an explosion had just gone off in the stadium as the Rikkaidai supporters cheered so loudly that it startled several birds in flight from the nearby trees.

"We won!" Hikaru screamed, leaping onto his twin and choking him with his bear hug.

"Get off me, Hikaru!" Hikari protested, trying to unlatch his twin from around his neck.

"We won! We won!" Ryou screamed, hugging the person next to him who turned out to be Shuu who was slowly turning blue due to the lack of oxygen.

"Yatta! Rika-sempai did it!" Seika leapt on the person nearest to her who turned out to be Takahiro, and enveloped him in a bear hug. She realised what she had just done almost immediately before blushing and leaping off Takahiro like she had just been burned and bowed apologetically to him. "S-Sorry, sempai!"

Takahiro only smiled and grabbed Seika by the waist and pressing his lips to hers. Yurika and Kevin exchanged wicked grins as they saw that. Above the Rikkaidai bleachers, both Sanada and Yanagi were restraining Yukimura who had seen the hug and then the kiss, and was fighting to get down there and kill Takahiro for 'violating' his baby sister.

"That's…my baby sister that you're kissing, you pervert! Get…your hands off her!" Yukimura growled as he fought hand and nail to free himself, but to no avail.

Sanada sighed. "I pity Rika if this is what she had to go through with Ryoga-san when she had first started seeing Seiichi," he muttered.

"You forgot her father, Sanada." Niou put in, and Sanada blinked.

"Oh."

"She really did it." Riku smiled, clapping politely, ignoring the craziness going around him that is the Rikkaidai tennis club. "She really did it."

"It is Rika after all." Sora put in, also clapping politely.

Riku laughed. "That's true."

**

* * *

**

"Rika, you're paying for a new racquet." Shiki said sourly, pointing at the poor state of his racquet. For lack of a better word, he might as well either restring his entire racquet or just get a new one. "My poor racquet." He nearly whined, eyeing his racquet woefully.

Rika laughed tiredly, having fallen on her behind the moment that the referee had announced the score. "Sure," she said. Strangely enough, her headache had cleared the moment that the referee had announced her win. Her head doesn't feel like it is about to break apart any second anymore. She grinned at Shiki tiredly. "I win."

Shiki sighed before leaping over the net and walking towards Rika who is still sitting down on the ground and squatted down before her, still holding his broken racquet. The stadium had quietened down some with this action, but not by much.

"It looks like it," he said. Shiki then smiled. "Strangely, it doesn't bother me much anymore. At the last Nationals, it does. Until Tezuka-buchou told me that win or lose, it doesn't matter to him, as I've become an excellent pillar in his eyes. You as well, I'm sure. I'm sure that you're that unbeatable pillar to your team, the one that they always looked to for strength."

"That's right, fukubuchou!" Haruki called out, cupping his hands around his mouth.

"What he said!" Hikaru added, still latched around his twin's neck until an extremely angry twin whacked him across the head hard, hereby releasing himself from Hikaru's grip.

"Can you get off me already, Hikaru? You're not exactly light, you know!"

Shiki sighed and shrugged his shoulders before smiling at Rika. "Right from the start, I knew that this will happen," he said, and Rika raised an eyebrow. "From the time when we had first met until today… It is like I will be running at full speed, trying my hardest, and you will always be just a few steps in front of me, jogging leisurely. That's why I tried so hard to beat you. I didn't want to lose. But more importantly, I didn't want to lose to you." Shiki smiled. "But looks like no matter what, I can never defeat you. My brother was right. You have that kind of talent that only appears in a player once in a century. The talent to evolve with every match." Shiki then smiled. "Rika. Let's play again if we have the chance." He then stretched out his hand to pull Rika to her feet.

Rika stared for several moments before she smiled and took Shiki's hand as he pulled her to her feet. "Of course," she said with a nod. She then winked. "But a fun game this time." Shiki laughed. "Rikkaidai's championship award…" She turned to smile at her team before turning back towards Shiki. "We couldn't have done it without you, Shiki. You and your team."

Shiki laughed. "A half championship? I'll have to decline," he said. He then smiled. "Next year, Seigaku will be the champion."

Rika laughed. "We'll see about it," she said.

They both then laughed together, and to their watching teams, it is almost like hearing bells tinkle.

**XXXXXX**

_One Year Later  
__Narita Airport_

"Looks like your mind's made up, Rika." Yanagi said as the entire Rikkaidai tennis team, along with the ones from Rikkai High minus Yukimura, were present at the airport. "If truth be told, I kind of expected this day to come ever since you entered our team back in Rikkaidai Fuzoku. The Grand Slams, huh?" Yanagi mused. "Maybe one day, we'll all be competing against you in the courts."

Everyone laughed, and Rika smiled. She nodded. "Thanks," she said. "I'll be going to Europe, Yanagi-sempai. But I promise. I will be back one day."

It was near the end of Rika's senior year in Rikkaidai High.

As usual, Seigaku had lost to them in the Nationals…again, though this time, it is more like friendly matches against each other in the tournament than all-out fights. It wasn't that long after that when Steve Meyers had contacted Rika, extending to her an invitation for a chance to play professional tennis after the Tennis Association had seen her skills and matches.

It had taken Rika nearly a month to decide, especially with exams and all. But with encouragement from her friends and family, she had finally decided to take the chance that she was offered. Yukimura on the other hand… The two had a big fight the day that Rika told Yukimura of her decision. Rika knew that her boyfriend is just upset that she'll be gone for who knows how long, though he had overreacted a little. She hadn't seen him since, which had been about a week now.

Rika looked over at the entrance of the airport hopefully, but no blue haired teen came barrelling through like how he had been when she was departing for the US Open nearly two years ago. Shinderui Shiki who is present as well sighed. "Yukimura-san isn't coming, is he?" he asked Sanada who grunted and shrugged.

Almost on cue, an announcement echoed over the loudspeakers of the airport just then.

"_Flight number 304, from Narita to Vatican: check-in is now in progress."_

Yukimura Seika frowned. "Nii-san is a baka!" she muttered. "What the hell is he doing?"

Rika sighed. "I can't wait for him, or I'll miss the flight," she said. She then dug in her bag before pulling out a photo album and pushing it into Seika's hands. "Seika, give this to him for me. Tell him that I'll want this back once I return, and that I'll definitely be back one day."

"Do your best, Rika," said Marui with a grin. "Don't worry about 'Mura. He'll come around. Do your best over in Europe."

"We'll come over in a month or so, Rika," said Ryoga before giving his sister a hug. "Take care of yourself until then."

Rika nodded. "See you."

She then walked towards the departure gates before showing the officer her passport and was then allowed entry. Takahiro said nothing as he stared at Rika's departing back. She will forever be his first love, but he had already moved on. He then gave a rare smile at Seika as she smiled back at him, and squeezed his hand affectionately.

"Ah!" A cry from Haruki caught their attention, and everyone turned only to see Yukimura Seiichi stepping out from behind the pillar not too far from them, a semi guilty look on his face. "Seiichi-nii! Where have you been? Rika has left!"

Yagyuu frowned as he looked from Yukimura to the pillar that he is hiding behind and sighed. "Yukimura. How long have you been here? And where have you been?" Yukimura muttered something beneath his breath. "Pardon?"

"I've been here for two hours," said Yukimura, suddenly finding his feet very interesting. "Hiding behind the pillar."

Kevin blinked owlishly, along with every other. "Huh?"

Takahiro exploded first. "You…idiot!" he exploded, causing everyone to look at him with surprise, as he is such a mild and even tempered person that rarely loses his temper. "Don't you know that you're the one person that Rika wanted to say goodbye to the most?"

"Hey Takahiro! Calm down!" Seika tried to calm her boyfriend down.

Yukimura sighed. "Take care of my sister for me, Takahiro," he said. "And Seika, take care of our parents and make sure that Haruki doesn't get into too much trouble."

Seika smiled and nodded. "Sure," she said. She then giggled when she saw the confused looks on everyone's faces. "Looks like I'm going to have to miss my brother for awhile. Nii-san, when you get back, I want a sister-in-law, and maybe some nieces or nephews."

Yukimura spluttered, going red in the face before he coughed and looked around at all the confused faces. He then smiled and pulled out his passport from his jeans' pocket. "I'm taking the next flight to Europe," he explained.

Grins and smiles broke out on the faces of everyone present, but Ryoga doesn't look too pleased. "Seiichi, don't do anything that I wouldn't," he warned.

Yukimura grinned. "Don't worry, 'onii-chan'," he said, and Ryoga spluttered. "I won't let you become an uncle early." Ryoga almost choked on his spittle and everyone laughed. "Well then, I'm going. See you guys in a few years."

"Give Rika our regards." Riku called out, hanging over Sora's shoulder.

Yukimura smiled and waved before walking towards the departure gate, after the girl whom he loved more than life itself.

**XXXXXX**

_Nineteen Years Later  
__Kanagawa, Japan_

The strong aroma of breakfast could be smelt in just about every inch of the Yukimura residence as one Yukimura nee Echizen Rika hummed to herself, preparing the bentos for her children and husband.

Rika then smiled to herself as she glanced at the photos hanging on the walls of the kitchen, all filled with photos of the Yukimura family's family and friends. Her brother had married his girlfriend since his college days, who actually turned out to be one Fuji Syuusuke's elder sister, Fuji Yumiko. Takahiro had married Seika when he had turned twenty-two, and is now a tennis coach in one of Japan's most famous sports schools, just like her.

Sora had became a famous photographer, and as for Riku, no one in Japan won't know his name, as he had actually turned out to be a famous violinist, playing in concerts all over the world. The rest of their friends had also all settled down and were leading their own lives, though they always met up every month or so for a good chat about the old times and their lives.

She and Seiichi have returned to Japan when she had turned nineteen, having had enough of the tennis tournaments and the fame, and they have then gotten married about a year after that when Yukimura had secured a job as a doctor.

Rika laughed to herself when she remembered how Yukimura had proposed to her. That memory certainly always made her laugh.

"_Ne, R-Rika. W-Would you…?" Seiichi stuttered, holding out a bouquet of red roses. "W-Would you…? W-Would you…?"_

"_Yes, fine! I'll accept the damn flowers!" Rika snapped, feeling tired of the stuttering that he is doing._

"_No! W-W-WOULD YOU MARRY ME?" Yukimura nearly screeched out, nearly pushing the ring that he is offering into Rika's bewildered face._

_A very long silence followed after that._

"…_Yes."_

Rika laughed.

She then glanced at the top-most photo hanging on the kitchen wall that is taken by Sora on the day of their wedding that is a group photo of all their family and friends. Wakato Hiroshi from Jyousei had actually been their wedding planner, and had flirted with her throughout the entire wedding ceremony, much to Yukimura's displeasure.

She could still remember it like it was yesterday, their wedding day.

"_Do you, Echizen Rika, take Yukimura Seiichi as your lawfully wedded husband, to love and care for, to cherish and respect, until death do you part?" The minister asked._

"_I do." Rika said, her eyes staring straight at Yukimura's own sapphire ones like no one else mattered, and that they are the only ones present._

"_Do you, Yukimura—"_

"_I do." Yukimura answered, looking straight at Rika without seeing anything else at all._

"_Well, yes, but at least let me finish speaking!" The minister stated, annoyed. There were titters of laughter from the audience, and Yukimura grinned sheepishly. Sanada who had been his best man disguised his laugh into loud hacking coughs. "Do you, Yukimura Seiichi, take Echizen Rika as your lawfully wedded wife, to love and care for, to cherish and respect, until death do you part?"_

"_I do," said Yukimura, smiling brightly._

"_And now, with the powers vested in me by kami, I hereby pronounce you as man and wife," said the minister, smiling from ear to ear, and cheers went up. "The rings please." He requested._

_Haruki who was grinning from ear to ear didn't move. He just stood there like a stone statue, staring at the happy couple. Seika and Takahiro both nudged him in the sides whilst clapping alongside everyone else, and Kevin who was standing next to Takahiro tried to disguise his laughter into loud hacking coughs._

"_O-Oh yes," said Haruki sheepishly, coming back to reality. "Here."_

_The minister took the rings, glaring at Haruki all the while, an action that caused Seika to duck behind Takahiro, mindful of her bridesmaid's dress, giggling helplessly. Rika's other bridesmaid, Tachibana Ann who is now known as Kamio Ann laughed, whilst her husband, Kamio Akira chuckled._

Rika nearly chopped her own fingers with the knife that she is using when she felt a pair of arms wrapped around her waist from behind, and she looked over her shoulder only to see Yukimura Seiichi hugging her from behind, nuzzling her neck, a smile on his face.

"Oh, for goodness sake, Seiichi! Not in the morning!" Rika nearly groaned. "Riiyu and Rihan will be both down soon. They sure don't need to see their parents going at it so early in the morning!"

Seiichi had a devilish smirk on his face at that. "Funny, I didn't hear you complaining about it last night," he teased. "I think I hear something along the lines of 'harder' and 'faster'."

Rika turned bright red at this before the sounds of their children running down the stairs caused Seiichi to unlatch himself from his darling wife and coughed into his hand, pretending to be busy preparing his own coffee as their daughter and son ran into the kitchen, both already in their school uniforms.

"Kaa-san, Tou-san, morning!" Yukimura Rihan, aged 16, a freshman in Rikkai High greeted as he sat down in his seat. He basically looks like a younger version of Seiichi, only with his mother's dark eyes.

"Morning!" His younger sister, Yukimura Riiyu, aged 13, who will be starting her freshman year in Rikkaidai Fuzoku, greeted breathlessly. Whilst Rihan is his father's mini-me, Riiyu is her mother's, only with Seiichi's sapphire eyes.

"Morning, you two," said Rika briskly as she placed their breakfast in front of them. "Now finish up your breakfast and get going. You don't want to be late for your first day of school. And don't forget your bentos." She placed their bentos in front of them as she said so. "Not to mention yours of course, darling." She gave a grinning Seiichi his own. "And wipe that smirk off your face."

"I have to go soon!" Rihan stuffed two slices of toast into his mouth before washing it down with some milk before grabbing his bento and bag and rushing to the front door. "I'm meeting Ryuu! I'm leaving now!"

"Nii-san! Wait for me!" Riiyu called out before she finished the last of her breakfast and grabbed her bento and bag. "Tou-san, Kaa-san, I'm leaving now."

"Have a safe trip." Both parents called out as the front door slammed shut.

Seiichi then grinned as he eyed his wife appreciatively. "Now that the children are gone, how about we continue last night's activities?" he suggested, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. "Let the doctor give you a 'check up'."

Rika tried to stay angry, but couldn't help laughing at the mischievous look on Seiichi's face. "Oh, for goodness sake, Seiichi!" she laughed. "Very well. But I have a class to teach at ten."

Seiichi grinned. "Plenty of time," he murmured in her ear as he lifted her into his arms and headed up the stairs.

**XXXXXX**

_Class 1-6  
__Rikkaidai Fuzoku_

"Here it is." Yukimura Riiyu muttered to herself as she slid opened the door and stepped in only to bump straight into a handsome dark haired teeth with sapphire eyes so much like her own. "Ack! Gomen! Oh no!" She dropped all the books in her arms as she did so.

"Gomen!" The handsome boy apologised fervently as he helped her to pick up all her books. It is still pretty early, and as such, no one else was in the classroom. "Here, let me help you."

"Thank you," said Riiyu, blushing lightly as she straightened up. "Are you in my class as well?" The boy nodded, smiling at her. "I'm Riiyu." She bowed to the boy lightly before straightening up again. "Yukimura Riiyu. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Shin," said the boy with a pleasant smile. "Tanaka Shin. Nice to meet you too."

* * *

_A/N: And this __concludes The Ice Princess of Rikkaidai! I hope that you guys have enjoyed this story. I know that I enjoyed writing this, definitely! I had been at it for over two years! A new Prince of Tennis story will be up within the month – the story where a female Ryoma is mute, and the pairing will be either Shiraishi or Oshitari, haven't made up my mind yet, though I'm leaning more towards Shiraishi._

_Anyway, I hope that you've enjoyed this story, and please read and review! Oh, and a cookie to anyone who could guess whose son Shin is._


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